j.P.s Reverse Press Exclusion Order

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1949, Page 5

j.P.s Reverse Press Exclusion Order

MASTERTON, Tue. (P.A.)— The hearing of a charge of committing rape at Masterton on July 16, against Albert Beveridge Beauchamp, soldier, of Fort Dorset, Wellington, concluded late last night. At the beginning of the case an order had been made by the Justices to exclude the press .rom the hearing. Detective-Sergeant Gordon said a Supreme Court judge, in a recent case in Napier, had made some remarks which applied in the present case. The judge had said that the evidence served as a warning to girls as to what was possible. The judge had said tha. publication of the facts would do more good than harm. Detective-Sergeant Gordon said he did not wish to interfere with the court’s ruling, but he thought -attention should be drawn to the judge’s remarks. DISCRETIONARY POWER Mr D. W. Foster, who represented Beauchamp,-said the only authority for such an order as was proposed by the court was under Section 143 of the Justices of the Peace Act. That section gave the -court discretionary power to make an order only if it appeared that the ends of justice required it. Mr Foster said he was at a loss to understand how the justices could come to such a decision. The press should not be excluded and the matter should be left to its discretion. The presiding justice (Mr Saunders) said that, in view of the unanimity of counsel and the prosecution in the matter, the court had agreed to waive the matter and would allow the press to remain. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Beauchamp .was committed to the Supreme Court, Wellington, fbr trial. Bail in £2OO self, and £2OO surety, was granted. , “The man is a menace and while He is about women and girls are not safe,” said Detective-Sergeant Gordon, in opposing a reduction of bail asked for by counsel. There were two other inquiries being made about Beauchamp, he added.