IDLE AND DISORDERLY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20205, 16 January 1934, Page 7

IDLE AND DISORDERLY.

Young Girls Before the Court. Two girls stood in the dock in the Magistrate’s Court this morning on charges of being idle and disorderly persons. Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., was on the bench. The accused were Rona Norton, 17 years, till recently staying at the Y.W.C.A., and Irene Phyllis Griffiths, 19 years, of Armagh Street. Both pleaded not guilty. Mr Quigley appeared for the accused Norton. Senior-Sergeant Fox said that the elder girl, Griffiths, had been leading an immoral life. She had earned only 5s 2d by working this year. The younger girl had been earning up to 15s 2d per week, but had been dressing in a most expensive manner. “If I had to go into details the Court would have to be cleared,” said the senior-sergeant, in reference to the case of the accused Norton. “ Both have been drinking. They cannot keep Norton any longer at the Y.W.C.A. It may be sufficient to hand in the statements that these girls have signed. If counsel sees the younger girl’s statement and still wants to go on, I can call witnesses.” The case was adjourned for an hour to enable counsel to consider the statement. “It is not so much a matter of punishment as what is to be done for their own good,” said Senior-Sergeant Fox. When the case was resumed, Mr Quigley said that the plea was still “ not guilty.” The Court was cleared. After hearing the evidence, the Magistrate said that Norton would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within 12 months; she would not be called on as long as she remained in the St Mary’s Anglican Home, Wellington. Griffiths was ordered to be detained in the Salvation Army Home for 12 months.