DISLOYAL UTTERANCES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1481, 4 December 1915, Page 2

DISLOYAL UTTERANCES.

While on this subject we notice that in Wellington a young man named Francis Peter Hagan, of Hanover St., Wadestown, a clerk in the Public Health Department, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court there yesterday to answer four charges of breaches of the War Regulations Act, by uttering certain disloyal statements as under : On Sth October, the following words with respect to certain New Zealand troops departing on board a transport: “There goes a silly lot of s.“ On 23rd October, did use the following words respecting one Edith Cavell, recently executed by the Germans; “She deserved her fate ; she was nothing more than a traitor.’’ On 3rd November, did usethe follow ing words regarding the sinking of the British transport Marquette : “The Germans were perfectly justified in sinking the ship. The nurses and doctors had no right there. England should not have been in the war.’’ On 6tb November, did use the following words: “We would be just as well off under German rule as we are under British rule. Britain is only after territory. The Belgium business was only an excuse to get it.” The case against the young man has been adjourned in order to allow him to consult a solicitor. The War

Regulations Act rightly prohibits this sort of thing and the lact of the accused being in the employ of the Crown makes his case, if proved, very glaring.