SUPREME COURT SENTENCES

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1936, Page 7

SUPREME COURT SENTENCES

MAORI GIRLS ENDANGERED

JUDGE CRITICISES PARENTS

[PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.]

AUCKLAND, August 10.

That Maori Councils and other authorities should take steps to see that girls and young men are not allowed to share the same rooms, was the opinion expressed by Mr Justice Fair in the Supreme Court, to-day, when George Moses, a young Whakatane Maori, came before him for sentence, for unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl 12 years of age. “In several cases similar to the one before the Court,” said the Judge, “there has been evidence of young people of different sexes sharing the same room. In such cases, the parents of the girls are gravely to blame for allowing such conditions. Maori Councils and other authorities should take steps to ensure such things do not take place. Parents must recognise the danger of allowing young girls to be exposed to such risk.”

“All those circumstances do not excuse this young man, who is a good deal older than the girl,” added the Judge. The object of the law is to protect the morals and future happiness of these young girls.” Accused was sentenced to twelve months’ hard labour.

WOMAN’S RETRIAL

NAPIER, August 10.

The retrial of Isabel Annie Aves, alias Craike, of Hastings, on charges of unlawfully using an instrument, will be heard at the next criminal sessions of the Supreme Court at Wellington. An order to this effect was made by Mr. Justice Blair this morning. The application was made by (he Cvowr Prosecutor, Mr. H. B. Lusk. Mr. C. G. Harker opposing. Bail, self £lOOO, and two sureties of £5OO was allowed.

NAPIER DECISIONS

NAPIER, August 8.

Prisoners sentenced in the Supreme Court by Mr. Justice Blair were: Gordon Goodwin Grant Stevens, failing to account, two charges, six months’ reformative detention, the sentences to be concurrent; Mervyn Waldimar Bergren, breaking and entering with theft, two charges, two years’ imprisonment, to be concurrent with his present sentence.

POLICE STATEMENTS.

NAPIER, August 8.

A request made in the Supreme Court for the production by the police of statements made at the time about an accident, which was the base of a claim for damages, was refused by Mr. Justice Blair.

The Judge said that the police in such statements, needed frankness, and that would not be available if the staetments were to be made accessible to others in a private squabble. Counsel said that the Chief Justice had ruled that the statements should be produced. His Honor said that such a decision would embarrass the department, and the matter was in sufficient doubt to lead him to refuse.