FATHER BRINGS CHARGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20862, 19 October 1937, Page 9

FATHER BRINGS CHARGE

YOUNG GIRL IN COURT A young girl, Ena Agnes Berry, aged 181, was charged in the Timaru Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr H. Morgan, S.M., with being an idle and disorderly person, not having lawful visible means of support, but the charge was dismissed. The charge was brought by the father of the girl, George Berry, who claimed that she had been keeping company with a Maori at Temuka against her father’s wishes. He said that she was only 18i, and that he had provided her with a good home for a considerable time. She had been saying that she was going out with girl friends and he found out that instead she had been meeting the Maori named Reihana. On Saturday, he said, she said she was going to the pictures with a girl friend and was coming straight home but she did not arrive home at all on Sunday and he went to the police and had her arrested at Relhana’s home where she had stayed the night. "I caught them previously and warned them,” said the witness, "but she still persisted.” In order to try and stop them he sent the accused into Timaru but he followed her there. She had led his wife and himself a terrible life and they never knew where she was. She used to come home at three and 3.30 in the morning. "I don’t know what hold he has over her, but he threatened to shoot her if she did not do as he told her. I have witnesses to prove this,” declared Berry. Accused: He never did. I’m going to marry him. The accused in the witness box said that her father did not approve of the Maori. He was able to keep her and wanted to marry her. Tlie Magistrate pointed out that at her age she was not able to marry without the consent of her parents. “Every time Berry . sees me he swears at me. I want to get hookedup,” declared Reihana. The Magistrate: You want to marry her you mean? Reihana: Yes. Mr Morgan said that he was not satisfied that the accused was an idle and disorderly person within the meaning of the Act and he would dismiss the charge. The matter of marriage was a case for the parents to decide, he said.