RIGHTS OF FATHERS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29702, 21 December 1961, Page 21

RIGHTS OF FATHERS

Comment By Magistrate

Preu Association) PALMERSTON N., Dec. 18. When John Imlay Phillips, of Apiti, found Vincent Lloyd Wildbore, a single man, aged 25, parked in a truck at night' with Phillips's 15-year-o’d daughter. Phillips attempted j to enter the truck to rescue' his daughter. According to evidence given in the Magistrate's Court at Feilding today. Wildbore was in the act of driving off with the girl still in the truck. Phillips became embroiled in a fight with Wild-; bore, who suffered two black eyes and cuts which needed; stitches. His glasses were; broken. Phillips appeared before Mr B. S. Barry. SM, on a charge of assault. He was: discharged after evidence for the prosecution had been given. Mr G. Crossley, for: the defence, submitted that! there was no case to answer.; “I think,” 1 said the Magis-i trate, “you are asking me to; consider it as a father of daughters and not as a Magistrate. I have every sym-; pathy with the defendant and I would probably have done: the same thing myself, but at the same time I must con-1 sider it from the legal point: of view." He said he was satisfied that the defendant was entitled to stop the complainant talcing the daughter away. His dismissal of the information should not be taken as an indication that a father was entitled to take the law into his own hands.