DANGEROUS SPEECH.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1922, Page 5

DANGEROUS SPEECH.

LAWLESSNESS ENCOURAGED. MAGISTRATE INFLICTS FINE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. At the Police Court, to-day the case was heard against Alexander Galbraith, who was charged with inciting violence in an address on the downfall of capitalism. ■ The defence was a denial of the charge. It was contended the lecture was scientific and there was no intention to excite to violence. The Magistrate (Mr. Hunt) said he had no doubt the accused had used the words which brought about the prosecution and he was satisfied that the speech encouraged lawlessness. Galbraith was probably carried away by his subject and the Magistrate was satisfied he did not put a curb on his tongue in order to comply with the law. “If these speeches are used indiscriminately it will be very difficult to keep the peace,” added the Magistrate. “These sort of speeches may fall upon ill-balanced minds and result in crimes of violence. Such a person might bring a revolver and shoot a capitalist, for instance. It wduld benefit the country that these sorts of things should stop. Had the speech been made in the street I would not have had the slightest hesitation in sending accused to gaol. If accused aspired to be a maker of the law he should first learn to abide by it.” A fine of £25 was imposed, with costs, in default one month’s imprisonment.