REFUSED THE BIBLE
CHILD WITNESS AT INQUEST. A girl of 13 years displayed strong religious principles at the inquest on the two victims of the Howick tragedy which was held at Otahuhu on Tuesday. “No”! she answered bluntly when requested to swear on her oath on the Bible that, she “w r ould tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but. th? truth.”
Proceedings were held up for some ■ time until the coroner. Mr. F. H.c Levien, ascertained why the girl refused to swear her oath while holding the Bible in her hand. The witness was Rita Linda Howie, who actually saw the tragedy on the morning of August 9. When the court orderly handed her the Bilile she brushed it to one side and refused to take it in her hand in the customary manner.
Detective-Sergeant J. Bickerdike then tried to persuade her to take the oathfbut his remarks met with a blunt refusal and silence.
The coroner then questioned the. girl and asked her why she refused to sweqr on the Bible. She remained silent for some time and then remarked: “Too many people pretend to believe in the Bible and don’t.” Eventually the girl gave her assurance that she would tell the truth all the time and the inquest was allowed to continue.
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Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1930, Page 3
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217REFUSED THE BIBLE Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1930, Page 3
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