SERIOUS OFFENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10871, 15 April 1929, Page 7

SERIOUS OFFENCE.

YOUNG AIAN COAJAI ITT ED FQU

SENTENC'I

A serious offence aga.nst a Lot year old girl at Wairoa was admitted hv a young man, John Pittar, who a]ipeared iietore Air p. H- Harper, S.AL. at the Wairoa Police Court on Friday. The girl, a domestic, stated she first became acquainted with accused who was staying with people living in the adjoining house one day when she was coining home from town. On January 11. while witness was watching t.o see if her mother were coining hour.-, pittar asked her it she would like to go for a rale in his car. There was a circus showing at North Clyde that night, and she told l’ittar she was going there, hut lie asked her to go lor a drive instead. She agreed to this hut did not ill tie t him. as she wont up town. The circus was not showing, and later she mol Pittar m the street and got into his ear. They worn along the I’aeroa load for a considerable distance, ami then Pittar stopped the ear on the side of tlie roach Witness described what transpired, and siated that they returned to town about D.MO p.m., when she saw her mother standing on the other side, ol the road. Her mother spoke to Pittar. and later fold her not to go out with him again. In cross-examination hy Air .Jones, witness denied having attracted tho accused's attention on the afternoon of January 1J or having suggested that she should go lor a ride in his ear; all the suggestions came Irom tlie accused. That, night she did not worry where they went in the ear. and she did not on an.' occasion object. She did not tell him that she had been out with taxi-drivers before. Shis did not (ell Pittar her age and .did not know what bo was liable to.

Evidence as to the girl’s age was given hy her mother. \A tness stated that on the night of January lI she saw the girl in lhe accused's ear. and sent her other daughter to get. her, but she would not come, as she was afraid of witness. She knew nothing of the offence till ' Constable Tuck informed her. She did not blame the accused much, hut she blamed the girl a good deal. Alexander McKee. 73. stated that after the offence he told the accused that the girl was only to, and he said she had told linn that she was 17 or 18, and that she had asked him lo take her for a drive, and had made overtures to him. Witness had known the family for many years, and took a fatlierlv interest in the girl. He thought she had been warned to keep away from the taxi stands. He had not seem her driving in any other cars. Constable Tuck stated that lie interviewed the accused on '.April 0, and obta'ned a statement from him which he would not sign until he had .see'll a solicitor. Later lie admitted that the statement was true, hut would not sign it. Pittar admitted everything. Witness came to know about tho matter when lie interviewed tho girl about a complaint laid hy her parents .that she had been away from home. ; . The accused was committed for sentence in the Supreme Court in AVellington, hail boing allowed in the sum.of £IOOO.