HOUSE OF ILL-FAME.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2030, 17 August 1920, Page 7

HOUSE OF ILL-FAME.

WOMAN KEEPER CONVICTED. At the Magistrate's Court, this morning, Mr 8. B. McCarthy, S.M., delivered his reserved judgment in the case in which Jean Brown had been convicted of keeping a house of ill-fame in Bealey Street, St. Albans. * The Magistrate stated that there lived with defendant her two daughters, Evaline and Elizabeth, Mrs Newton and two permanent boarders Qninn and Kearney. Reviewing the evidence, the Magistrate stated that, on the night of July .10, it was alleged that defendant made a statement which, if true, stamps her as a prostitute of the lowest class. There was no doubt, assuming the conditions to have been as the policemen stated, they could have seen and heard what they alleged they saw and heard. The defendant, her two daughters and a number of habitues of the house have each sworn not. only that no such acts as alleged ever took place, but also that the conduct of the house was respectable. The evidence of neighbours of defendant, fairly summarised, was that defendant's house presented at various times of the day and night all the outward indications of a house of ill-fame. ft appeared that defendant's house had acquired the reputation among taxi drivers of being an immoral house. He. had no hesitation in adopting the evidence of the two constables, and adopting that evidence there could be no doubt that defendant and her two elder daughters are women of immoral character. The language of defendant stamped her as a prostitute of the lowest type. She had not only degraded herself, but her two elder daughters. It was contended that the War Regulations were no longer in force, but his Worship quoted sections of the Act to show that the War Regulations remain in force till midnight on January 0, 1921. Defendant was convicted accordingly. Mr W f . J. Hunter, who appeared for defendant, referred to the weak state of his client's health,land the effect her imprisonment would have on her children, who would be left, without a home. He suggested that she should be ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, some responsible person to have access to defendant's house at any time. The Magistrate convicted defendant anil ordered her to come up for sentence when called upon, a condition being that her house shall be open to supervision by Sitter Walton and the Rev. P. Rule for two years.