Police Act Against Roll of Honor.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 82, 4 October 1912, Page 4

Police Act Against Roll of Honor.

MILITARY AUTOCRACY IN FULL SWING. At the Chnstchurcb Court on the morning of the 27th ult. was witnessed one of the most reinafkablα MipftarKe jn the history of the Dominion. Mr. Reynolds, cafrying on a boot business in. Colombo street, Christchurch, was summoned for having exhibited in his window a. paper without the imprinturo of the publisher. JMr. Cnssidy defended Mr. Reynolds. The case had been adjourned from a previous day, and excited a great amount of interest. The police gave evidence that they visited ihe promises of the defendant and saw pasted upon the inside, of the glass of the window a list of names of lads who hid been jailed, known as

"OS Not Out." They copied this list down, and then entered the Bhop and questioned Mr. Reynolds as to where, he procured the y>.iper. Mr. Cassidy crossquestioned the constables upon the identification of the paper, etc. He elicited during the examination that the polico were asked to go and see this shop, and that they did not see of themselves the alleged illegal act; and naturally Mr. Cassidy made a point of this. At the close of this examination the police put up a witness who caused quite a sensation, he being none other tha,n Capt. Wheeler, of the Defence Department. It was then eeen who had informed the police as to this fearsome piece of paper. The captain at first wished the court to believe that he liad tried to bring an offender to justice for exposing a paper without an imprint, but that seemed really too much to expect even from a gentle military officer, and upon Mr. Cassidy insisting upon a plain answer the captain reluctantly admitted that the list was a practical encouragement to break the hiw. He was there to help forward the scheme. After further argument upon technical grounds, Mr. Reynolds was fined £o. We have here the new role of the. military officer. He is tired of drilling unwilling rerruits and wasting time in running about after those who will not attend parades, etc., so the time can be better spent in doing police inspection work and finding out thoso who have pieces of paper in their windows unadorned with an imprint.

The summons charging Mr. Reynolds had no imprint upon it. so that presumably if this had been put Tip in the window he would have been liable! Wβ shall await with interest to see what new form of persecution will be invented by these gentle powers of militarism in suppressing our freedom.