INCITING LAWLESSNESS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1920, Page 1

INCITING LAWLESSNESS

GREYMOUTH, Oct. 20.

Afc the Magistrate’s Court yesterday the “Grey River Argus” Company and its manager, Mr James O’Brien, was charged with: (I)—That the “Argus” Company did encourage lawlessness by selling or delivering newspapers contaning an article undey the heading 0 f “Blackball Notes,”; (2) that the Manager of the “Argus” did incite lawlessness, and (3) that lie encouraged lawlessness by printing and publishing in the “Grey River Argus” of August sth the article headed “Blackball Notes.”

In summing up the evidence submitted, the Magistrate said that although it was the first prosecution in New Zealand under the present Act, the language in the Statute was quite clear. Mr O’Brien had stated the policy of the paper, and this would be considered in the penalty; bu.t the article must speak for itself. Notwithstanding the able defence by Mr Jofyce, the meaning of the article was perfectly clear, and would instill into the people of the country revolutionary ideas. Analysing the article in question, His Worship said tho writer commenced with a glowing reference to the success of the Red then predicted a world revolution, 'using the word “we.” . The latter part of the article was the most serious, as the writer had denounced constitutional means ,and ended up by saying that the workers should take what they wanted, which thus incited lawlessness, and for that reason defendant would be convicted. With reference to the penalty, he took Mr O’Brien’s statement that he did not write or read the article before it-was published, as correct. The company would be convicted and fined £25, and costs, and O’Brien would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, the Magistrate adding that if he knew who had written the article he would send him to prison.