A FORWARD GIRL

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 183, 5 August 1925, Page 8

A FORWARD GIRL

YOUNG MEN IN TROUBLE.

DISCREDITABLE STATE OF

AFFAIRS,

'The depositions disclose a very discreditable state of affairs down at this place," said Mr. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court to-day, when two young men, Cyril Matthew Callinan and Arthur Alexander Watson, pleaded guilty to unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16 years. It was not a case of the ordinary gross kind, said Mr. K. A. Singer, because the girl had not been sought for, but had pressed herself upon the young men, four in all, who occupied a bach at Kohimarama. She had thrust herself upon them, and had put them in the position of being unable to resist temptation. She had gone to the bach, and at 11 p.m. Callinan had done the proper thiig by offering to take her home, but she insisted on staying the night. She told all four of the young men she was 18, and had admitted that she did this because they would not let her stay if they knew she was under 16. She said she had no home to go to, and would have to spend the night in the street. The two other young men concerned had not been committed because they were under the age of 21.

Mr. Justice Herdman: I'm going to grant probation. Mr. Singer: Well, sir, I submit with all respect to the Court that this is not a case where the indignity of probation should be placed on these young men, whose character has been unimpeachable. In a former case a local judge allowed a man to go, owing to the unusual circumstances.

His Honor said he had no doubt that what Mr. Singer had said regarding the disreputable character of the girl was true, and that to a large extent her behaviour had been responsible for the prisoners finding themselves in their present position. However, he could not accede to Mr. Singer's request, and both would be placed on probation for a period of twelve months.