"PEACE" SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 209, 2 March 1912, Page 5

"PEACE" SOCIETY.

IS DEFEATED IN COURT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Judgment was given to-day by Mr. Bailey, S.M., in the case, National Peace Council v. Canterbury A. & P. Association, a claim for £25 damages for breach of contract, £25 for trespass of goods, and the costs of the action. The case arose out of the ejectment of people distributing anti-military literature at the Metropolitan Show last November.

In giving judgment for the defendants the Magistrate stated the show grounds were private property, and the contract made with plaintiff could not be held to be anything more than a license to enter. Continuing, the Magistrate said: "Without expressing any opinion of my own as to whether the literature is objectionable, but merely to show that the action of the committee does not appear to my mind to have been arbitrary, it is only necessary to point out that the Association was carrying out a programme of military events on that afternoon, and it certainly seemed illogical to permit anti-militarist literature, to certain portions of which very strong objection Vnight be taken by some persons, to be disseminated amongst the crowd. In consequence of the decision arrived at by the committee the plaintiffs ware asked to desist from distributing the literature and to take down a placard. This they refused to do. In doing so plaintiffs were guilty of misbehaviour, and were legally removed. Judgment would be for defendants. On the application of defendants counsel costs were awarded to defendants.