UNION SECRETARY IN COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2826, 18 July 1916, Page 6

UNION SECRETARY IN COURT

CHARGE UNDER WAR REGULATIONS ACT. By Telegraph—"l-ress Assoc)? lit n . Palmerston N., July lr. _i. Robinson, secretary, of the Flaxmill imiployees Union, was charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day, on the information of tho jjolice, that on June 12, 1916, at Palmerston North, he did express a seditious intention by delivering to a. poison unknown a certain document, to wit, a letter in the words following Manawatu .Flaxmills' Employees' Union, Britannia Buildings, June 12, 1916. Dear Comrade,—-At a spccial mass meeting of the above union, held on June 10, 1916, for iho purpose of discussing oauscription, the following resolution was unanimously carried: 'That this meeting pledges itself by signature u? ,? he • form provided, that* he will immediately go on strike the moment the Conscription Act is put into operation to enforce any man against nis wish or conscience 'to join the forces; and that all flaxmills be circularised, calling on members not prea ®irailar undertaking, further, this meeting resolves to act upon any other suggestion that may be considered necessary to obstruct the Acting under instructions from the above'meeting,-Mr. J. Thorn or myself will visit your place of employment on ,Tuno 19 for the purpose of get- {•*?£ signatures to • the above pledge.— (oigned) P., X. Robinson, secretary/': Mr. Meredith appeared for the prosecution and Mr. Cooper for the defendant, who pleadod not guilty. .Detectivc-Sergeant Quirke said he showed "Robinson the circular, which, it was alleged, was sent round the flaxmills tor signatures. Mr. Robinson admitted his signatuT© at the bottom of the circnr'Vi . w tt ness thon "At a meeting hold in loxfcon, at which you and Gavin Stone weco present, the same resolution was put to tho meeting, which was- asked m defendant Teplied: That a not true/'

Mr. Meredith said tho prosecution, was based on Cla.use 3 of tho War Regulations Act. The letter,, ho argued, was an expression of seditious intention. Mr. Cooper submitted that the prosecution had failed. Detective-Sergeant Quirko did not have the letter delivered to him, and hald not proved that the letter was delivered to anybody, so that it had not boon published. Mr. Meredith submitted that tho mere intention and writing was sufficient. It was not always possible to prove publication. / Tho Magistrate said there was no evidence that Robinson published tho circular.

Mr. Cooper said the. defendant was a paid servant of tho union. It was not suggested by 'the evidence that ho visited any place with the idea of getting signa-. tures. The objection of tho union was to tho clauses of compulsory service of men irrespective of conscientious objectors. Such « resolution was not sedition. A strike was suggested as a. raero show of objection to compulsion. Mr. Meredith in reply said a strike would ontail monetary loss to tho flaxmillers. It was a threat to cause industrial chaos.. If .Parliament was liablo to bf) threatened in this vay, members of Parliament would /have io take intooonsideration the throats of ono part of tho community. Tho Magistrate reserved his decision.