IMPRISONING SALVATIONISTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 385, 17 July 1889, Page 5

IMPRISONING SALVATIONISTS.

On the fifth of July three Salvationists, who had been fined by the Resident Magistrate at Hastings for obstructing the public thoroughfare, were imprisoned at Napier for not paying the fines. Mr Seddon yesterday brought the matter under the attention of the Minister of Justice. He considered it a reflection upon the colony, and a stigma upon our justice that such things shou Id be. Last session he had brough t a similar matter before the Minister's attention, whenhe promised it would beattended to. In Is'ew South Wales the Supreme Court had decided that imprisonment for marching in ihe SDreets was illegal, and certain Salvationists imprisoned on that charge had been released. He wished the Minister to take the opinion of the law officers of the Crown : (1) Whether such imprisonment is legal, and as to whether the bylaws of local authoiibies decreeing imprisonment for non-payment of nnes for this class of offences are not ultra vires. (2) If the imprisonment be illegal and the by-laws idtra vire* would the Minister notify the Resident Magistrates and Justices of Peace accordingly ? (3) If ib is found that the imprisonment is legal and the by-laws are upheld will the Minister at once bring in a mea s ure repealing such by-laws, and in furtherance of religious toleration and freedom ? The Hon. MiFergus replied that the opinion of the law officers of the Crown did not matter to the Resident Magistrates. The Crown could not upset their decisions, and the only remedy was by appeal to the Supreme Court. He would be very glad indeed to inform the various magistrates whether the by-law 3 of local bodies were ultra vires or not. If they were not ultra vires, then he would take steps to bring in such a measure as would modify the powers of local bodies in this re«pcct to a very considerable exteut, a decision that was received with applause by hon. members.