THE COURTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3383, 12 January 1920, Page 6

THE COURTS.

A QUESTION OF LANGUAGE.

CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 9.

I At the Magist'rate’s- Court this I morning, be'foré"'ivTi"DaY,- S.M., a young man~named~Albert Thomas Dalley was charged with using, obscene language and disturbing Mr Massey’s meeting. He pleaded not guilty tovusing obscene language The charge rested principallynon the accused having said to a constable: “I h~—-- well know who you are. You a b——- plain <‘:lo"fli'e‘S John.” Counsel for the accusedsaid the word “bloo‘dy" was not obscene“ “N 0,,” agreed the Magistrate, "‘but it has been held by one judge to be inl decent; but I don’t know that I am , bound by that, since it did‘ not "go be-j yond the one judge, -and that judge evidently based his decision upon the [dictionary meaning of the word ‘inde\ lcent,’ as something which give; of‘fence. Many Words could be held to, give offence, although they are not." indecent.” The Magistrate added that he could‘ not Siee his way -to conivict on either Charge in regard to the language. It was bnly one man’s evidence against another’s, and as for the distui-bance, Dalley was» merely one of the crowd. Both informations were dismissed.