INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17526, 1 May 1925, Page 1

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

ASHBURTON CASE. Per Press Association. ASHBURTON, May 1. A suspected case of infantile paralysis, a-girl aged two years and seven months, has been admitted to the hospital from Elgin, five miles from the

could see that the man had hold of the woman, who was struggling to getaway*. This continued until witness was within three chains of them. Then the man ran away. When he got to the woman he found her to be complainant. She appeared to be exhausted and staggered to the car. She said “Did you see that man trying to pull me down the lane?” She got into the car and he took her to the hospital. During the way she scarcely spoke. She was very flushed and had tears in her eyes. About 9 p.m., the same day the accused came to witness at his house and said “I believe there is something doing about this woman down the road. She asked me if this was the road to Christchurch. I thought she was wandering and tried to persuade her to go back. I thought she was from the Hospital. Of ocurse I had had a couple of drinks.” It was the opinion of witness that while complainant and Loveday were struggling, Loveday was trying to drag the woman towards the river. He was not trying to send her back. Lawrence Paterson, telephone messenger, Hanmer, who was a passenger on the bus, corroborated the driver’s evidence. Constable J. F. Lamb, stationed at Culverden, stated that on Tuesday, April 14, he interviewed Loveday at a farm near Hanmer Springs. He was working with a chaff cutter. Witness asked him if he was the man who was driving a water-cart on the previous day. He replied: “Yes, but I have been told not to say anything.” Witness asked whether he met a woman on the road. He replied: “Yes, she seemed either drunk or off her head. These women have no business wandering about the road.” In reply to further questions, accused said he had been advised by a solicitor not to sav an3 rthing. Accused pleaded not guilty, and reserved his defence. He was committed for trial.