THE PUKEKOHE ASSAULT CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 207, 1 September 1893, Page 2

THE PUKEKOHE ASSAULT CASE.

The Dalziel case, which has just been dealb with by Captain Jackson at Pukekohe is of a very remarkable character, and the evidence tendered was bo contradicbory that moat people will feel puzzled in forming a judgmenb upon its merits. The ex-

traordinary complication was caused by the conduct of Mitta Dalziel, who displayed an entire change of front, and did her level best to diminish the weight of her previous sba"tem tints. This attitude on the young lady's part waa nob unexpected, and vvaa foreseen when the case was adjourned by the Justices a week ago in order to secure her attendance. The details of the assault as she originally gave them to the neighbours, and subsequently to Constable MoGovern, naturally aroused a wide-spreud feeling of indignation. It appears thab among the multifarious duties that tall to her lot Miss Dal/iel is accustomed to groom her father's horses. According to the account she gave on tho day when the assault was committed, aha failed to groom an entire horse to her father's gatiofaction, and as a puniahmenb he ordered her into a bedroom, and when she was arrayed only in a night dress inflicted brutal punishment upon her with a tuwso. Mrs Ellen Clarkson, in the course of her evidence, statod bhat on the day in question she met Miss • Dalziel, who presented every appearance of having been subjected to a severe thrashing. Her face was ghastly, she could hardly drag herself along and informed her neighbour bhab she had twice received a " banging " that day. Constable McGovern'a evidence was to the same effect. When he visited the girl he found her in a state of high nervous excitement, and bearing on her face the marks of ill-usage. She made, at that time, no attempt to ecreen her father, but represented herself to be in such a Btate of abjecb terror thab she dreaded, if the constable interfered, her life would be sacrificed.

it is nob often bhat a magistrate is called upon to listen to statements so improbable as those with which Mius Dalziel favoured the Court when placed in the witness box. Whatever motives may be ansigned for fcho conduct she displayed, her flagrant admissions of untruthfulness could nob fail to convince her hearera that she was capable of fabricating: any tale that she thought would serve her turn. Whether we attribute her irroconcilable statements to moral or mental defecb, in either caße her evidence except so far as it was substantiated by others, must bo regarded as utterly untrustworthy.

It is very seldom, wo imagine, bhab a young woman of 24 would Bubmib to corporal punishment without offering a fierce resistance. To an educated girl, sucb an infliction could nob bo looked upon oxpepb aa in the laßb decree degrading. Miaa Dalzlal professes bo hold ooinions wibb

regard to the merit of whipping as an incentive to work similar to those expressed by little black Topay of famous memory. Thab sable urchin, when remonsbrated with by Miss Ophelia for her idleness, exclaimed, "Lor, missia, you musb whip me, I ain't used to work unless I'm whipped." Miss Dalziel stated that she was so much impressed with the enormity of her offence in not having removed every particle of mud from tha horse's leg 3, that she entreated her father to try the specific, and as he seemed inclined to hang back, she thrust the tawse into his bands. The specbacle of these two martyrs to duty as represented by a father standing over the foroi of kis daughter with the insbrumenb of correction in his hands must havo formed a scene worthy of a painter, and ought to be transferred to canvas in the interests of posterity.

When a young woman says, unblushingly, that she is in the habit of telling lies generally, people are naturally inclined to take her at her own estimate. It is very probable, therefore, that the statement of the case Miss Dalziel made at first was grossly exaggerated ; bub her tale, even as she told it in Court, fails entirely to place her father in a very favourable light. His action was simply brutal. He admits that he struck his daughter sover.ll blows with the tawso on the occasion -alluded to. We are accustomed to associate attacks of this kind upon women with men of the lower class, whose passions have been excited by drink. For the credit of Luman nature we hope that such degrading exhibitions are seldom to be witnessed in the families of men who, by virtue of their professions, occupy a good social standing. The decision of the magistrate will, we believe, give general satisfaction.