TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1917, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

Per Press Association.— Copyright.

Gisborne Collision Inquiry

Auckland, March 26

At the nautical inquiry Francis George Mabb, third officer of the Arabura, said that ha was on ihe bridge at the time of the accident. He saw the Home liner move, and the captain gave the order “Hard a port,” and stopped the engine. The Arahura swung to starboard about two points, and the other ship followed up. The more the Arahura went to starboard, the mora the other shipffollowed up. Just a little before the impact she was put full speed ahead and hard a Btarboard. Witness promptly transmitted these orders. The Arahura had passed the bows of the Wimmera only a few seconds when the order was given, “Hard a port.” Immediately afterwards witness was ordered to stop both engines. When ths Arahura passed the Wimmera, these two vessels perhaps were apart. John Donald Nicholson, A.B. on the Arahura, who was at the wheel, gave evidence as to orders received, and said the lioer appeared to be following the Arahura. When he starboarded, he noticed the green and maatlight on the liner. When he went to the he did not,Bee any riding lights on her, and he was under the impression that she was moving.

Captain R. Cliff, instructor of navigation at Auckland, gave evidence as to the damage to the Arahura. The inquiry was adjourned till Wednesday, An Important Statement. Wellington, March 28 An important statement regarding New Zealand expeditionary forces was made by Sir James Allen to the press, The War Office is very anxious, said Sir James, to utilise the New Zealand Division and as many New Zealand troops as are available for the big pash during the Bummer campaign, They have .asked ns to allow them to put our accumulated reinforcements in England into a brigade, and we have agreed on the understanding that the new brigade was to be attached to the New Z9 - *land Division, Dot to be used elsewhere; and no reinforcements more than we are now sending to be sent from here.

Owing to the casualties being light over a period of inactivity, there are considerable accumulations of reinforcements in England and France. We are not touching the reinforce* menta now in France to make np this brigade, it being made up entirely of men now in England, Appeal Court. WELLINGTON March 28. Arguing before a full court in the sedition cases in support of his contention that -the Military Service Act of 1916 was beyond the powors of Parliament as set out in the Constitution Act of 1852. Mr Hutchison said (that Parliament could only legislate for persons within New Zealand and had no power to compel service aboard, and lie said that only tho Imperial Parliament could give, by altering tho Gonscititufcion Act, power to pass such a law With regard to the Regulations made under the Regulations 'Act of 1914, he contended that as they dealt with olf

cnees beyond the colony they were cases ultra vires and he also submitted that the Regulations purported to create a new offence “Seditious tendency” and this could not bo done *s sedition was defined by the Crimes Act of 1908, and all seditious offences must be dealt with under that Aot. Regulations could not alter or vary the Crimes Act. With regard to trial by jury, he contended that the War Regulations Act of 1914 did not exclude tho right by trial by jury, but only excluded the necessity of presentment of the indictment. mont of the indictment. He analysed the speeches upon which the convictions were founded, and contended that (these speeches did not bear ttlic construction put upon them by the Magistral. Sir Robert 'Stout said the Magistrate

could not have been honest if ho hail come to any other conclusion. Mr. Justice Chapman asked whither if it had been possible for Germany to have paid agents as eloquent speakers in New Zealand as she had done in Russia and other places to try to weaken the Military forces or .undermine the power of Government, Germany could not want anything better for her purposes than the speeches under discussion,. Mr. Hutchison replied it would have been better if the speeches had not been made but what ho was trying to do was to show that the speeches did not offend against the regulations, ana that taking a wide liberal view of the speeches, the convictions could nob ho sustained. The Court adjourned till 10. 00. a.m. to-morrow when the Solicitor-General will present argument on behalf of the Crown.