Nine Children in Court On Immorality Counts

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30939, 21 December 1965, Page 13

Nine Children in Court On Immorality Counts

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON, Dec. 20 Nine children have appeared before the Te Kuiti and Otorohanga Children’s Court on charges of immorality after police investigations into the activities of some teen-agers in the area. Five girls, two of them still at primary school, and four boys have been charged. Mr Stewart Hardy, SM., placed the girls under the supervision of child welfare officers for periods up to three years.

The boys, charged with unlawfid sexual intercourse and indecent assault, were not convicted.

The girls refused to answer questions when placed on the witness stand. Defence counsel also argued the boys could have been in doubt as to the girls’ ages.

The Magistrate agreed he would have to give the boys the benefit of the doubt.

Three of the girls, aged 12 to 14, ran away from home and stayed in a fiat together, the Te Kuiti Children’s Court was told. Evidence was also given of trips in can to secluded spots near Te Kuiti and Otorohanga, of parties in hotels, and of the girls wandering the streets to attract attention. The Court was told that while the mother of one of the girls involved worked, a 16-year-old baby sitter looked after the woman’s 11 children.

The Magistrate called for a report on the woman’s other children in “this unsatisfactory environment.” He said: “If we don’t do something the other children will be appearing in Court one by one.”