Trespass Charge Against Evicted Woman Adjourned

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29222, 4 June 1960, Page 14

Trespass Charge Against Evicted Woman Adjourned

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 3

A prosecution for trespass against Blanche Victoria Holloway, a nurse, was adjourned by Mr R. M. Grant. S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland today, to allow her to obtain legal advice.

Holloway pleaded not guilty to trespassing on property from which she had been evicted. She started to conduct her own defence. “All I am concerned with is that you have every opportunity to defend yourself on a serious charge on which you could be imprisoned.” said the Magistrate. He adjourned the ease to June 10. Mr J. A. McCarthy, the police prosecutor, said Holloway lived in a house at Devonport. After an application by a mortgagee, an order for possession was made. Holloway was evicted by a bailiff on May 19, but she returned to the house later in the day. She was still living there. On May 23. a police party asked her to leave. She said: “I am prepared to die in defence of my property which I consider my own.”

Mr N. R. Thomas, solicitor for the mortgagee, said the' order for possession was made on February 23. At the beginning of May he asked that it be executed and he took possession on May 19. Mr Thomas said he had not inspected the house. With 20 dogs, including an Alsatian, running inside the grounds, he decided discretion was the better part of valour. Mr Thomas said that he had been told that the house was filthy and would have to be shovelled out and hosed clean

Mr Thomas said that on May 19. at 5.25 p.m., he was at the house trying to arrange for the

disposal of the dogs when Holloway returned and told him she was going inside. He warned her she could not. He also told her the dogs had to be disposed of and Holloway said: “If you touch my dogs I’ll cut your throat.”

Mr Thomas said he would have .no objection to an adjournment if the dogs were removed to the S.P.C.A. and he was allowed to inspect the property. Holloway said her personal knowledge of the S.P.C.A. did not flatter them. They were little more than a killing agency for the city council. The Magistrate said he did not think it fair to insist on conditions of adjournment which were not issues in the matter before the Court.