COMMITTED TO HOME.

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 77

COMMITTED TO HOME.

ALLEGED WRONGFUL DETENTION. AUCKLAND, June 29. A complaint of the action of the police in taking a 15 year old girl to a receiving home was made by Mr J. J. Sullivan in the Police Court, when George Walding, the father, and Francis Walding, the brother of the girl, were called upon to show cause why they should not contribute towards the maintenance of the girl. In asking for an adjournment, Mr Sullivan, who appeared for the brother, said the facts were unusual. On March 50 the child was committed to a home by a magistrate, and that morning a constable called and took her away. Counsel declared that the mother remonstrated with the policeman, and, on asking why her daughter was being taken away, was told to call at the Police Court that afternoon. He had been informed that the girl was kept in a cell until the afternoon, and was driven to' the court in a “Black Maria.” Continuing, counsel said the girl ’as committed to a home by Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M. Mr Dickson, who appeared for the girl and her mother, had no opportunity of learning what the evidence would be. He was so indignant, however, with the decision of the court that he lodged an appeal, but, owing to the intervening holidays, and the poverty of the mother, the appeal was abandoned. Counsel added that a petition on behalf of the girl hao been forwarded to Parliament. He submitted there wae not sufficient evidence to warrant the girl being taken away. Despite her poverty the mother had retained a leading Wellington counsel, and was prepared to go to Wellington to eive evidence on oath. Mr Sullivan concluded bv stating that he hoped the petition would be disposed of in three or four weeks.

The Magistrate (Mr Poynton) adjourned the case for a month.