CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18764, 18 January 1923, Page 11

CITY POLICE COURT

Wednesday, January 17. , (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) Breaking and Entering.—Michael Size, one of the men who was severely burned while breaking into Usherwood's warehouse, appeared on a charge of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime. The accused, who was remanded to Friday, when the other man will also appear, had just been discharged from hospital, and his face still bore marks of his severe injuries. Attempted Suicide.—Harry Young, who was in a dilapidated condition, said that he must hove done so, but he could not remember it when he was charged with attempting suicide at Mosgiel on November 28.—Sub-inspector Eccles said that the accused, who was 64 years old, had been out of work for some time and was destitute. On the date mentioned he had been found on the North Taieri road by a farmer, ond Constable Findlay, who was called to the scone, procured immediate medical attention, The accused, who had attempted to cut his throat with the smoll pocket knife produced, had been in hospital since then. Young was willing to go into the Old Men’s Homo. —When asked, the accused told the Magistrate .that he was ready to enter the Home.—He was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. 111-treating a Child. —Herbert Omond (Mr Irwin) was charged with and admitted wilfully ill-treating a child under the age of 16 years in such a way as to cause her unnecessary suffering.—The Sub-inspector said that the defendant was a prosperous farmer at Lower Harbour. The girl about whose treatment the complaint was made was 12 years old in June last. About 18 months ago she became unruly, and, .after being in the Presbyterian Home at Anderson’s Bay for

a little time, she wes placed with the defendant. On account of something that she had done to the defendant’s children, he had, the girl alleged, flogged her and placed her under the tap on the date stated. On that day she had had porridge for breakfast and dinner, and she would have had it for tea too, but she cleared out. She had also been mad© to eat an uncooked egg with mustard in it to cure her of stealing end eating the eggs. The girl had been ordered to strip in the bathroom and had been flogged with a dog-collar. When she ran away the defendant communicated with the police, and she. was found next day at her aunt’s place in Dunedin. When brought to the station bruises were to be seen on the legs, and a report from Dr Etvans showed that there was a large number of big bruises on her. The doctor’s report also stated that the child’s clothes were dirty and worn out. The girl was now with her parents, and the indications were that she would be well cared for. The Sub-inspector pointed out that the girl had been flogged on previous occasions in a similar way, and he reminded the Bench that there was an element of indecency about such treatment. It was alleged that she had stripped to her singlet, and it was very evident that the bruises could not have been mode while her clothes were on. The Sub-inspector went on to say that the defendant boro a very good character. A girl of 18 years old, who had been licensed out from the Industrial School, had stated that she was always well treated. The defendant’s trouble seemed to be that he possessed an ungovernable temper.—Mr Irwin admitted that the defendant had probably exceeded his duty in a fit of passion. The girl had been taken by Mr Omond because she would be company for his little boy. She developed a habit of taking the boy’s lunch and eating it at school, sometimes bringing her own home. She then told the Omondo that other children had taken the boy’s food. This was shown to bo untrue, and she had been punished by the teacher when the Omonds made a complaint. Counsel submitted that the girl’s story to the police was highly coloured. She had not been ordered to strip, but had removed some of her garments of her own accord.—The Magistrate said that the defendant had committed a serious offence, for which he was liable to a fine of £SO and three months’ imprisonment. He had grossly abused the trust reposed in him as- a man of good character. The child, whatever she had done, had been treated with unnecessary severity, and there was an indecent element about such treatment of a girl of her age. A fine of £lO and costa (7s) was imposed.