AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 December 1917, Page 5

AUSTRALIA.

A DETECTIVE TAKING NOTES. ANTI-OOXSCRIFITONIST ANGRY. Received Dec. 8, 1-2.50 a.m. Sydney, Dec. 7. •T. 11. Catts, when addressing his constituents, said ho noticed a detective taking notes, and thereupon announced Hint 'he refused to carry on a public controversy under these circumstances. Me said he had already been served with five summonses, and was threatened with ruin for attempting to carry on what he conceived to be his public duty. After condemning Government method') he closed the meeting. Subsequently he stated he had been advised by an eminent barrister that it' he wanted io keep clear of the multitude of war precaution regulations he had better deliver a speech on horse-racing. MISSTATEMENTS ABOUT NEW ZEALAND. CORRECTED BY MR. MASSEY. Received Dee. 8, 1.45 a.m. Sydney, Dee. 7. Replying to the anti ; conscriptionists' statement as to the effects of conscription in New Zealand, Mr. Massey denies that the Dominion is seething with discontent, the position being accepted willingly and cheerfully, and that the New Zealand Government had promised not to call up t''o married men was a pure fabrication. The military machine had been brought into force without trouble, and had worked with remarkable smoothness. BREACH OF REGULATIONS. THE CATTS CASE. Received Dec. S, 12.30 a.m. , Sydney, Dee. 7. T3ic ca»e against J. H. Catts. for making verbaTstatements at a public meeting at Inverell likely to prejudice, his Majesty's relations with a foreign Power, was again before the court, The magistrate decided that Catts had committed a serious breach of the regulations, and convicted Mm to foe bound over in £4OO bail to observe the war precautions regulations during the currency of the war and pay the costs of the action. On two similar charges, in connection with a country meeting, he was similarly bound over in £ 100 bail each and to pay j the costs.