TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1917, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

Per Press Association.--Copyright, Rua Perjury Charges. HAMILTON, March 20. At ifcho Supreme Court to-day, before Mr Justice Hosking, the perjury charges in connection with the Ru* trial at Auckland, were continued. Tutura Kaiuka was charged witk committing perjury by swearing that he saw the first shoifc fired from a revolver by Constable Skinner. Evidence for the Crown goes to show that when the police party wero about a mile and a half from iiua’s Pa Senior

Sergt. Cassels, acting under instructions, gave his carbine to Constable Skinner and the latter then handed Cassells his revolver, pouoli and belt, which ho put on. Cassells in evidence said that the revolver, .bolt, etc., were not returned to Skinner until the following Monday. Home RuleChristchurch March 27 At the City Council meeting last night, Mr J. McCombs, M.P. moved a motion in favour of granting Home Rule to Ireland, and asking the Governor to forward the message to the Imperial authorities. Mayor Holland ruled such a motion was out of order, but Mr McCombs moved that the Council disagree with the Mayor’s ruling. This motion was carried by eight to seven. A number of Councillors then left ths Chamber. The Home Rule motion was finally carried in the form that the Council views with pleasure the resolution of the Imperial Government to make another effort to s:-tt!e the Irish problem, and believes that the winning of Irish confidence was of supreme importance to the cause of Brita ; n and her Allies. Court of Appeal. Wellington, March 26 The Court of Appeal opened this morning. The list is an exceedingly lengthy one oomprising fourteen cases on appeal, two applications to have : solicitors struck off the rolls, a motion for leave of appeal to Privy Council,

three Full Court cases and eeren appeals against convictions for sedition under the War Regulations Act, The Uourt will not sit from April sth to Isth. Appeal Court. Wellington, March 27 A Full Court sat to-day to hear the appeals by Messrs Semple, Brindle, Fraser, Cook and Thorne against their convictions for seditious utterances. The grounds briefly are that the War Regulations Act ia ultra vires, in so far as regulations affect things beyond Now Zealand, the power of Parliament being limited by the Constitution Act to making laws for the good government of New Zealand. That the Military Service Act is also ultra vires in purporting to control or compel the services of pereons beyond N6w Zealand. That the Regulations of Deo 4tb, 1916, are ultra vires. That if the War Regulations Act

is invalid, then Regulations No 40 of Dec, 1914 made under its creation an offence of seditious tendency is also invalid. That tbe oonvictions following thereon are bad, as including more than one offence, That appellants were denied the right of trial by jury, and finally that as the matter laid, none of the alleged seditions utterances, taken with the context of the whole speech, come within the meaning of the orime of sedition. Mr G. Hutchinson for appellants and the Solicitor General for the Crown.

Argument is likely to be lengthy,

A Serious Crims. Westport, March 27 At the Supreme Court, Arthur George Holmes, on a charge of indecent assault on a girl of 5} years, was sentenced to three yoars’ imprisonment. He pleaded guilty.