BISHOP LISTON.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1922, Page 3

BISHOP LISTON.

HEARING OF THE CHARGE

(n\ TFI/EOllAl’ll CKU PItEHS ASSOCIATION'] AUCKLAND, May 1. Dr. Liston (Catholic Co-Adjutor Bishop of Auckland) appeared at the Police Court to answer a charge of having made seditious utterances at the Town Hull nt the IrishConeert on 1/tli. March Mr Poynton S.M.. was on the Bench Mr Meredith prosecuted on behalf of the Crown and Mr C'oulnn appeared for Dr Liston. JU- Merdith said fortunately charges of tnis kind were few in this coimtiv. L was seldom necessary to take down L.iis weapon from the armoury of the ovenummt. The speech was made wi'.en tiio Irish difficulty was in the inciting pot and' was exercising public minds, consequently this lmd some bearing on the effect and importance of the words uttered on such an occasion, [t was also a fact that Dr Liston was head of a church. That gave weight to the words and a bearing that would not lie given if uttered by a person of little or no responsibility. (AUCKLAND, May 1.

Gordon Stanhrook (a reporter of the “Hera.d”) gave evidence that he t.oa n longhand note of the Bishop’s speech, lie destroyed his notes after the report was written. The report was written in the first person. He was not quite sure of the phrase about dismemberment or Ireland, but was certain the Bishop used a phrase indieating Ireland had bfen dismembered. The Bishop also referred to several defeats of England. He (witness) did not remember the actual words used in this reference to the Easter of 1916. The Bishop used the phrase murdered by foreign troops, as well as a reference to (lie hunger strike. Witness could not ieniember the actual wards. He could not remember every word said, but he remembered certain passages such as the reference to. the cattle ranch and the house of bondage. The words murdered iiy foreign troops, were verbatim. He look this to refer to troops brought in from England to suppress the rebellion of Easter Monday, 1910.