NEW GUARD LEADER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 49, 28 January 1932, Page 7

NEW GUARD LEADER.

CHARGE AGAINST COLONEL CAMPBELL.

SYDNEY, Jan. 27. The hearing of the case in which Colonel Eric Campbell, leader of the New Guard, is charged with using words insulting to the Government in. the course of a public speech, was resumed to-day. „ _ _ , For the defence, Mr E. S. Lamb, K.C.,- intimated that he would' call no evidence for the defence because of the Magistrate’s ruling that the defendant was not entitled to adduce evidence to prove the truth of any statement charged against him. The Magistrate, Mr Laidlaw, announced that he had received a large mail of ananymous letters from all kinds of political cranks. He hoped that these would, cease, as all met the same fate—the waste-paper basket. Mr Lamb, arguing that the vital principle of freedom of speech was involved in the prosecution, contended that the indictment was a pieoe of petty political persecution, founded in dishonour and supported by evidence which*was supremely ridiculous. t To say. as the police officers who gave evidence did, that they were insulted by Colonel Campbell’s speech was pure moonshine. Mr Lamb claimed that if Colonel Campbell were convicted it would be risky for anyone to utter criticism of the leader of any Government in any circumstances. Mr Sheehan, the prosecuting counsel, intimated that he took full responsibility for the non-appearance of the Premier, Mr J. T. Lang, in response to the subpoena, on the ground that it was an attempt to abuse the processes of the Court. The Magistrate reserved his decision until Tuesday next.