SEDITIOUS SPEECHES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 2, 21 May 1914, Page 3

SEDITIOUS SPEECHES.

lA* t OPEN-AIK OKATOR'S LIGHT ' SENTENCE. By Telegraph —I'ress Association. Wellington, May 20. Edward Hunter, who had been found guilty of uttering seditious words on December 14, eiuine up for sentence before Mr. Justice Hosking to-day. His Honor told prisoner ho was liable to imprisonment for two years. In the circumstances he thought the proper punishment would be to admit accused to probation. His decision was reached on the following special considerations: That accused' was not guilty of seditious libel; he had )>cen bound over to keep the peace for six months, which had not yet expired; .lie had been under coinmital for trial since December, and he had had two trials; 'lie had not be,en one of the lenders of the' strike, so that his vrords did not carry the same Weight as theirs; his words were uttered at the close of the strike, and when .his match was thrown the powder was well-nigh perished; his words were directed more to the incitement of strikers on tile West Coast than those of Wellington; and, finally, the jury had strongly recommended him to mercy. Counsel had stated that prisoner was a, young man convinced that there were wrongs to be remedied, but this event might "teach liiin the lessorr that, if he wished to redress wrongs, he must do so by lawful means and not by inciting to violence and illegal methods. He would be admitted to probation for twelve months, a special condition Using that lie must neither write nor speak seditious words during liis period of probation.