CHILDREN MUST BE PROTECTED

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 111, 12 May 1909, Page 8

CHILDREN MUST BE PROTECTED

A JUDGE'S REMARKS. SENTENCE OF FIVE YEARS. His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman, in passing sentence of five years' imprisonment on Bernard Smith, who was convicted this afternoon of indecent assault on a tittle girl, made some severe remarks on such crimes. His Honour characterised such a crime as one of the most serious, in his own' opinion, of all crimes. It was worse than crime against property, far ■worse. Men who did this kind of thing should receive severe punishment. Many parents could not afford to have their children guarded outside. It was essential that the children should be protected. If the measures of punishment itt the court were inadequate, parents would take steps themselves. The consequences of such a crime on a young girl might be found in effects twenty years afterwards. His Honour then sentenced the prisoner to five years' imprisonment with hard labour.

As the result of a collision on the ' Karori-road, Queenie Warren proceeded against Antonio Frandi, trading as Frandi Bros., in the civil court yesterday, for £75 damages. In her claim., plaintiff stated that on the 28th October last, when walking along the Karoriroad to catch a tram, an employee of defendant's, who was carrying a milkcan on his bicycle, collided with her, and knocked her down. She sustained 'injuries which compelled her to seek medical aid, and incapacitated her from earning her livelihood. On behalf of defendant, Mr. Levvey raised three nonsuit points, and the case was adjourned until this morning. After hearing further evidence, his Worship, Dr. M'Arthur, reserved his decision. A middle-aged man named Bernard Smith stood his trial before Mr. Justice Chapman to-day on a charge of indecent assault on a little girl. The publication of evidence was forbidden by his Honour. Mr. Cracroft Wilson, in his defence of the prisoner, called no evidence, but addressed the jury directly on his behalf. After his Honour's summingup, the jury retired at 2.35 p.m.