A COURT INCIDENT CINEMA WITH A PULPIT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11324, 30 September 1930, Page 6

A COURT INCIDENT

CINEMA WITH A PULPIT

MR R. B. HILL ATTACK'S SCHOOLGIRL WITNESSES

REMARKS RESENTED BY SERGEANT CULLOTY

“DISGRACEFUL AND ABSURD”

An unusual course was adopted in a case before the 'Magistrate’s Court vesterdav, when counsel for tho accused ‘ (Air R. B. Hill) made a violent attack on -the witnesses lor the Crown —three schoolgirls-and two married women. The case was one in which a young married salesman was charged withalleged indecent exposure on two.occasions, the offence, it was.stated,

being allegedly committed in accused’s own bedroom in view of pnssersbv, Air P. H. Harper,. S.AL, was on the Bench. . ...... In the course of opening his case Mr Hill said three girls and two women had given evidence. “There is such a thing nowadays as sex psychology—sex novels, sex nicturos. and even’ sex newspapers’’, said counsel. “Young girls of these days are simply saturated with sox- They talk over , it, think over it,, find in many cases become neurotic. If a girl is not neurotic, sho would take one glance at a man aliened to be indecently dressed and probably run away. Ibid these girls do this? One rdrt said she turned her eyes awav. Plie is the normal type of girl. The '"Tiers are of the neurotic type.” The first girl, counsel contended, was the most reliable witness. The others, he said, were of tho neurotic type. What- did they go back a second time for—to see a man undress himself? If they wore prepared to sta.re in an open window, then it was morbid curiosity.

Turning suddenly round, Mr Hill risked the Alacistrate to see what kind of girls these were. “Look at the girls and women sitting there apd eirbying it", lie said. One lady witness rose and attempted to make an explanation. Sergeant Culloty also arose, and said:'They can’t go out; they have „ been • told* to rema in in Court. Air Hill: They know tho Court is cleared now. Sergeant Culloty: No, they don t. Air Hill: They sit there and listen to all this. The Magistrate: You can't say they are enjoying it, Air Hill. One lady witness: Thank you, sir.: “They are going out now”, said Air Hill, as the witnesses hurriedly left the CourtroomThe Sergeant again said that the witnesses had been told to remain in Court. “These girls imagined they saw much more than they did see”, commented Air Hill, who again'attacked the girl and women witnesses. “They stand there, ‘Peeping Toms’, he said. They fry to catch this man and they can’t. Two of these girls turned round and made sure of what they had seen. Later, when Sergeant Culloty was addressing The Alagistrate, he said the girl witnesses had given their evidence in n straightforward manner. During his twenty years’ experience in the Force and 10 years in the detective branch he had never seen girls put to such prolonged and severe cross-examination. As l'or the refevenlces to the three girls enjoying sexual cases, it was disgraceful and absurd for a man in Air Hill’s Sositiou to make such an assertion. no woman witness particularly and also the girls were very disgusted indeed a-t the attack. If a similar thing happened in future it would not be easy to get evidence. There had been no evidence given to contradict the women’s and girls’ evidence, only that of accused. The evidence given by the women and the girls was true and could not be shaken, and were proof that accused committed the act. Air Hill explained that at the time he made the reference he .was talking on the subject of morbid curiosity, and as an instance lie turned and pointed to the three young girl witnesses, “Apparently enjoying themselves.” Sergeant Culloty: “It was a most absurd statement. Air Hill said lie was sorry if he had offended the sergeant, hut he had a duty to his client. “I do not desire to hurt the girls’ feelings”, said Air Hill, “hut when they come here to damn a. man I reserve to myself the right to ask anv questions.” Sergeant Cullorv said he had no doubt Air Hill had a duty to perform io his client, but these girls had a duty to the public and had done their duty well. They came forward to give evidence 'solely in the inter- j ert_ of the public. The controversy then closed.

CROWD FLOCK TO -SERVICES

In an effort to meet Die demands of modern youth, the llev. Thomas Tiplady, superintendent of Lambeth Central Wesleyan Alission, has been conducting a cinema in Lambeth Road, South London. The chapel has been reconstructed for use as a cinema, but the pulpit remains.

“Year after year, the Church lot the world, the flesh, and the devil take possession oi' all the new inventions that came into, being,” said Air. Tiplady to the Sunday- Chronicle. “But to convert men is not: enough. We must convert the tilings men make So ive at Lambeth decided.. Iq use t' o cinema to a greater extent than it had been used in my church hither-, to.

‘‘For 120 years.” continued Air Tiplady, “the chapel had only been used on Sunday’s and on occasional week evenings. For at least five out of every seven days it had stood empty, but now we use it for cinema performances for nine hours a day every week-day.

“On Sundav evening there is community singing—with the words of the hymns thrown on the screen—a gospel service and finally a cinema service. .

"We always require a policeman to help to regulate the crowd on Sunday evenings, and it. is seldom that i\e do not have to turn people away.”