PROTECTION OF GIRLS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 11 October 1922, Page 5

PROTECTION OF GIRLS.

AMENDMENTS TO CRIMES ACT,

(BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 10. Amendments sought for some time by various women's societies are contained in the Crimes Amendment Bill introduced in the House this afternoon. The principal Act provides that it shall be sufficient defence to any charge of indecent assault or carnally knowing if it is made to appear to the jury that the accused had reasonable cause to believe the girl was of or over the age of 16 years. The Bill now before the House repeals this provision. As ■ the law now stands no prosecution for the offence of carnally knowing may be commenced more than six months , after the commission of the offence, j The new Bill extends this to nine ' months.