Bishop in the Dock: The Sedition Trial of James Liston in New Zealand

The narrative centers on Bishop James Liston's controversial speech in 1922, where he expressed solidarity with Ireland's struggle for freedom, igniting applause from his Irish-Catholic audience in Auckland. However, his remarks, which criticized the British Empire and praised Irish rebels, led to charges of sedition, marking him as the first Catholic Bishop in the British Empire to face trial for political views. This account explores the implications of the incident and reveals the complex sectarian history of New Zealand.