New Zealand News.

Taihape Daily Times, 13 May 1918, Page 6

New Zealand News.

ALLEGED SEDITION, BEFORE THE ? THE COUET. | CHEISTCHUECH, May 10. : , The Eev. James Henry G. Chappie, ■who preaches in Christchurch, was charged at the Magistrate's Court, this afternoon with having uttered sedition at Greymouth. The charge stated that on March 29, he "said: "You are ■under the heels of the war lords. We lave not enough population for our own country, yet we are lusting after the annexation of Samoa. The patriotic poison is in our schools. Children are taught to salute the flag and taught to sing the National Anthem. I tell my children when they come home not to sing the National Anthem. I am hoping with a fervent hope that in this 'war there will be no victor. To pray about a war is blasphemy. A woman goes ' down into the valley of death to bring a child into the world; she nurses it, sends it to school, and sees it through the sixth standard. Then comes a call to arms, and it goes away to war. What for? To die for its country? No; to die for the profiteer." Another charge stated that on the -same occasion he said: "Bussia wanted war. Never has there been such a wonderful five days''' (meaning the •cays of the Eussian revolution.) "The old Eussia has gone, and the new Eussia has come in. I hope before I die to see a similar movement in New Zealand. I hope the day will come in New Zealand when these war loans will be repudiated I hojpe that not a penny of the war loan will be repaid. You do not authorise them."

Mr, Raymond K.C., appeared for the prosecution Accused was represented ~by Mr T. Wyneham, who, in asking for an adjournment, said inquiries would nave to made on the West Coast, and the defence would probably be that the words were used with qualifications or elaborations, which would completely disprove any charge of .: "' : ons tendency A remand was granted until next Friday.