"MENACE TO YOUTHS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20424, 28 November 1929, Page 14

"MENACE TO YOUTHS."

CONDUCT OF YOUNG GIRLS.

CHIEF JUSTICE APPALLED.

THE NEED FOR CONTROL.

BY TEI.EGIi.VriI —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

The Chief Justice, tho Hon. M. Myers, made soma severe comments 011 the conduct of two young girls, as disclosed in a casp in the Supremo Court to-day, when James Webster Bittle, aged 28, appeared before hiiu for sentence on two charges of indecent assault on a girl, and two charges of indecent exposure. Tho offences were committed at Petono.

"This caso is a very painful one from two points of view," said His Honor, addressing the prisoner. "First of all, it is very painful to yourself, and secondly, from the; point of view of tho community, in that circumstances are disclosed to which I consider it is tho bounden duty of tho Court to draw public attention in somewhat forciblo terms. It is painful from your point of viow, because from tho papers that are submitted to mo it, appears that up to the present time you havo borne an excellent character, and you havo been a decent and respectable citizen. That is one of the circumstances

I need hardly say I will take into con sideration in dealing with your caso. Unfortunately Not Uncommon.

"The importance of tho matter from the public point of view, however, is this, that the papers before me disclose depths of depravity on tho part of young cii'ls of 11 and 12 years of age which are as appalling as they are amazing. Ono might hope that such cases are as uncommon as they are appalling, but unfoituuately those of us who havo to do with criminal law know tho contrary."

His Honor stated that ho was not speaking of the past few months, dining which ho had been in his present position, but from the experience of his association with criminal law in tho past few years.

"This is tho fourth case within the short space of less than a month in which there has been evidence before this Court of depravity of tho most serious kind on the part of young girls,", continued His Honor. "I referred to this particular aspect of the matter in a case that came before me somo three weeks ago, and I should not have made special mention now but for the ages of the two girls in tho present case. Suggestion for Authorities.

"Now, the point I want to come to is this, that such girls as these, if left at large, are, and will be, not only a danger to themselves, but a menace to the youth of tho community, and they are simply inviting the commission of crime of the description which the prisoner has committed.

"My regret is that there is no power j in this Court, on {he disclosure of such cases as this, to commit tho girls to an institution for a term of years for correction and discipline. I make the suggestion that this Court should bo invested with such power, 4 and I commend that suggestion to tho consideration of tho proper authorities. Unfortunately in a way, the full facts of this case and others of a similar kind, as disclosed by tho depositions, cannot bq published. If they could be published, I am satisfied the community would be greatly shocked, and would agree with every word I have spoken hero to-day." In conclusion, His Honor said that the prisoner must bo punished, but ho thought thu,t in the circumstances the ends of justice would bo sufficiently met if a sentence was passed that the prisoner be kept in prison for 12 calendar months for reformative purposes.