The Night Side of Wellington.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 61, 9 September 1885, Page 3

The Night Side of Wellington.

At the $iagutrate'£ Court this morning, before Mr/ Warden* R.M., Ada Boyd. -a well-known prostitute, was charged under the amended Polioe Offences Statute with being the occupier of a disorderly house frequented by idle and disorderly persons. Some interest was attached to the proceedings on account of this being the first prosecution under the Amended Police Offences Statute. The proaeontion was a private one, being brought by several residents of Bouloottstreet, in which the defendant's house is situated. Mr. Kirk appeared for the prosecution and Mr. Fitzheibert for the defence. Mr. Kirk stated that the nuisance oauied by She defendant's house had been bonne for t> lokg time ptat in- the hope that it would be abated. The defendant's -house was -in* highly respectable neighbourhood, and was in the vioinity of at least two public aohools. The property belonged to a perron who was regarded as a leading oitlsen, and who had b.ee.n repeatedly requested", hoth by petition and otherwise, to ejeot his pbjeotionable tenant (the defendant), but who had declined to aooede to the request. Hon. J. Martin, Justice, took hia seat ou the Benoh. The following evidence was adduced :— John Plimmer stated that he owned a

cumber of houses in Bouloott-street. He dtd not know of his own knowledge whether defendant waa a prostitute or not. Da fendant occupied ouo of the houses referred to, although ho did nob let it to her, but to a person named Harris. Defendant paid the rent to witness, who had never been inside the house since Boyd occupied it. Detective Chryital stated that defendant kept a brothfl in Boulcott-strset. Three girls lived in the house. He had also seen a oonvioted tbief from Christohuroh in the houae. It waa a very dirty honse, and keptvery rowdy, drinking and fighting being permitted at night. Boyd' a house waa the lowest brothel in the city. Had heard that girla from 13 and 14 years of age frequented Boyd 1 a honae for immoral purposes, but had failed to find any girla of those ages in the plaoe ; if he had, he should certainly have brought them before the Court. Mr. Fitzherbert— You have been reading the Pall Mall Gazette, Chryatal. Examination oontinued— From his own observation, he did not say that defendant's place waa worse than some other houses of a similar oharaoter whioh had existed, but whioh had been suppressed. Mrs. Boyd he had aeen frequently under the influenoe of drink. Detective Campbell tendered evidence of a corroborative oharaoter. He looked upon Mra. Boyd'a honae aa being a disorderly brothel and badly conducted. Detective Neil, of Christohurch, gave evidence that the woman Woodruff formerly kept a house of accommodation in Christohurch, aa alao diddofendant formerly. She had been convicted of keeping a bad house in Christchurch, and was indioted and convicted in Chriatohurch in January last for keepings, brothel. Mr. Kirk was about to call evidence of citizens residing in the neighbourhood, with a view to show that the denizens of defendant's honae had outraged publio deoency when Mr. Wardell said he could not aooept suoh evidence under the olanae of the Aot under which the information had been sworn. Mr. Fizherbert offered, on behalf of hia client, to dose her house, and remove from the neighbourhood if tho case was withdrawn. Mr. Kirk, whilst acknowledging that the dosing of the defendant's houae waa the primary objeot sought, deolined to abandon the case, aa on the broad grounds of publio morality he waa instructed to presß for a conviotion. Counsel oited the case of Leister v. Short (Australian Jurist, reports p. 1, 151), whioh was on all fours with the present one, whioh was tried before Chief Juatioe Stawell, Viotoria. Counsel oontended that it was sufficient, in order to seoure a oonviotion, that the women who resided in the defendant's house were prostitutes. Mr. Wardell, desiring to consider the case whioh had been oited, adjourned the caae to next Friday.