REFUSAL TO HOLD BIBLE

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1930, Page 6

REFUSAL TO HOLD BIBLE

GIRL WITNESS OF THIRTEEN.

UNUSUAL INCIDENT IN COURT.

In spite of efforts by the coroner and the police to induce her to take the oath on . tho Bible, a girl aged 13 years, who was one of the chief witnesses at the inquest held at Otahuhu on Tuesday into the death of the victims of the shooting tragedy at Howick on August 9, refused to be sworn. The girl, Rita Linda Howie, entered the witness box and th©. Court orderly tendered her the Bible. She took no' notice of him, and brushed it to one side. Detective-Sergeant J. ..Bickerdike, who was calling the evidence, rose and explained what she was required to . do, but the, girl gave no answer and did not take the Bible into her hand. Questioned by the detective-sergeant why she refused to be sworn. in the usual manner, she continued to preserve silence.

I The coroner, Mr. F. 11. Levien, S.M., 1 then asked the witness what reason she had for not being sworn, and she remained silent for a few moments, “Too many people pretend to believe in the Bible and don’t,” she finally declared in reply to further questions. The coroner then asked her whether she .promised to tell the truth and on her .giving that assurance her, evidence was taken.