INDECENT LETTERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18257, 28 November 1933, Page 7

INDECENT LETTERS

STUDENT’S OFFENCE REPLY TO ADVERTISEMENT (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. A student of Canterbury College, whose name was suppressed, was lined £lO. in default imprisonment for one month, in the (Magistrate’s Court today for sending indecent document? through the post. Chief Detective Dunlop said that an advertisement had been put in a Christchurch newspaper bv the ewn'ihibiant seeking a position, and she had two answers on the following day, nnnnrently written by the same person. Tim letters, which contained very serious suggestions of an indecent nature, were given by the girl to her mother, who took them to the police. The, police had identified the defendant bv his handwriting. The defendant admitted writing the letters, and said it was all meant ns a hoax. Mr Roy Twvnehaiu, counsel for the •'censed, said that earlier in the year the accused, with other students, had answered some matrimonial advertisements. He seemed to be simpleminded in some respects, but a brilliant student. The accused had since s'-cn the <rir! and her mother and had neologised, and had so impressed them that they had written asking to have the charge withdrawn. Counsel appealed to the- magistrate to suppress the accused’s name, saving that in the circumstances publication would be a more severe penalty than imprisonment. The defendant was exceedingly ashamed of himself, and was verv contrite. The magistrate said lie could not understand the attitude of the mind of youths who could commit such an offence. Tic allowed the accused 48 hours in which to find the money.