I.W.W. SEDITION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2982, 20 January 1917, Page 8

I.W.W. SEDITION

MAN SENT TO GAOL

A SPEECH IN DIXON STREET

A waterside worker named Joseph Herbert Jones appeared before Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., yesterday, charged with having on January 7 published a seditious utterance at a meeting held in Dixon Street. He pleaded not guilty.

The information alleged, inter alia, that, the accused's speech had a tendency to excito opposition to the enforcement and administration of the laws in force in New Zealand relative to compulsory military service during tho present war.

Member of tho I.W.W. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey. Crown Prosecutor, said that oh the evening of January 7 tho accused addressed for about half an hour a meeting of 400 or 500 people ; Jones was a member of tho 1.W.W., and had como from Australia. Tho meeting, lie had announced, was ono of a series to be held in spite of the War Regulations, and had for its object the repeal of the Military Service Act.

Sergeant Wilcocks read to the Court shorthand notos of part of the accused's speech. He described the speech as of an inflammatory nature. Constable Tricklebank said lie knew the accused, and had seen him deliver orations in Sydney.

"A Little Protest." "I just want to make a sort of a little protest," said the accused, when asked whether lie wished to make a statement to the Court.' He proceeded to read aloud a metrical composition which he said appealed to him and to the class he,pleaded for. His Worship said it was quito clear that a breach of tho regulations had been committed, and that the accused and those associated with him had set themselves out to defy tho law. A sentunco of one year's imprisonment with hard labour was inflicted. CONVICTION AND SENTENCE AT CHRISTCHURCH By 'lelegraph—Press Association. Ciirlstchuroh, January 19. At the Magistrate's Court, before Mr. T. A.'B. Bailey, S.M., Hubert Armstrong appeared on remand on a charge of seditious utterances. Mr. Raymond, K.G., appeared for tho Crown. Accused conducted his own case. Evidenco was given of a speech made by accused iu Victoria Square 011 December 31 on lines similar to those of Cook and Semple. Accused denied any intention of sedition, and said he was simply speaking against conscription, while recoguising the menace of Germany. The Magistrate said the speech was seditious, and sentenced accused to one year's imprisonmout.