SUPPRESSION OF NAMES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19903, 24 September 1926, Page 7

SUPPRESSION OF NAMES.

MAGISTRATE’S PRONOUNCEMENT. LEADS TO CRUEL SUSPICIONS. (Feb United Fbess Association.) AUCKLAND. September 23. An important pronouncement was made by Mr W. R. M'Kean, S.M., at the Police Court this morning on the question of the suppression of names. Mr A. S. C. Bro n, who appeared for a youth 20 years of age, who was charged with the theft of a telescope, stated that accused had never 'ecu :n trouble before and came of respectable parents. Counsel asked the magistrate if he would consider an application for the suppression of accused’s name. “Accused is old enough to know better. I am not prepared to lay down any rule for the suppression of names,” said Mr M‘Keau. ‘Before an order for suppression is made there must be some special circumstance made known to the court. In this case there is none, excepting, perhaps, the one that accused is only 20 vears of age. There is no doubt that publicity acts as a greater deterrent than anv fine I could inflict. Another thing about the suppression of names is that it often causes great injustice to innocent persons. Recently there was the case in this court of a woman who was convicted of shoplifting. Her name was ordered to be suppressed. Since then it has come to the knowledge of this court that a well-known solicitor in Auckland, with a name similar to that of the accused woman, was rumoured to be the woman’s husband, and it has been alleged that he used his influence with the court, thus causing the name of the shon-lifter to be suppressed.” “Such a thing would not be tolerated by this court,” continued the Magistrate, “and I might say quite definitely that the solicitor whose wife was thought to he the woman charged was in no way connected with the case. It was not his wife.” Mr M'Kean old Mr Brown that if he acceded to his request he would have to accede to any similar requests made to the court. He did not propose to make an order for suppression, for it was desirable that a deterrent effect should be made.