WHAT FOR ?

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 145, 21 June 1913, Page 6

WHAT FOR ?

~~*■ — A LOQUACIOUS PRISONER

"JUST ANOTHER WORD."

GISBORNE, June 1&. "I was completely astounded when the detective approached me on the ship," said a. young man, small of stature, whose head did not appear much above the dock rail at the Police ; Court this morning. "Very likely," observed Mr W. A. Barton, S.M. The accused, whose name is Robert Taggart, was arrested by Detective McLeod on the s.s. Mokoia this morning on a charge that at Dunedin on June 13 he did leave his wife and three children without providing them with adequate means of maintenance. Continuing, the accused said that he left Dunedin last Thursday to come to Gisborne, partly on business and partly on pleasure. When he reached Chris tchurch he sent a telegram His Worship: Oh, I cannot go into all this now. The accused : But the point is this: 1 am here,, and I cannot understand what I am here for. • His Worship: You have been arrested on. a warrant on a charge of not providing adequate maintenance for your wife and family. The accused: But the charge is not proved. His Worship: Well, I am going to ■send you to a place where it may or may not be proved. The accused: And I am to be locked up like a common criminal, when nothing has been proved against me? His Worship: You are remanded to appear at Dunedin on June 23. The accused: Just another,word. His Worship: Well—what is it? The accused: It is to the press— I hope this will not appear in the papers. His Worship: Oh, I have nothing to do with that. The .senior sergeant remarked that it was a matter of there being another woman in. this case. < His Worship: Oh, I see! "Stand down," said the constable ,on duty to the' accused. Accused: Be civil I lam a respectable man.