INDECENT ACT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 201, 26 August 1936, Page 11

INDECENT ACT

YOUNG MAN GAOLED i INCIDENT AT UPOKONGARO 1 MAGISTRAIE’S CRITICISM < Charges of aiding Edward Puddephalt, at. Upokongaro, on January 5, in the selling of liquor, procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order, committing a grossly indecent act in a public place and negligently driving a motor vehicle, were preferred against Joyce Edward Symonds, aged 35 years, before Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Accused pleaded guilty Io all the charges. On the charge of indecency he was sentenced to two r.|>nths’ imprisonment. and on the negligent driving charge he was convicted and ordered to pay 15s costs. Accused was convicted on the remaining charges. Senior-Sergeant L. R. Capp said that accused, on the night of January 4, attended a dance in Wanganui, 5 and subsequently went with a party to Upokongaro for a joy ride. The party included two young women. Accused drove his car to the fivemile peg. where another car, driven by Mr. Hamilton, a settler, was ap- j proaching. When within 50 to 70ft. 4 of Mr. Hamilton’s car accused swerved to the wrong side and his car hit Hamilton’s, which was disabled. Accused then drove on to Upokongaro Hotel, where the party had liquor. Mr. Hamilton later went fn Upokongaro and there saw a car outside and accused, with the other members of the party, in the hotel. The police were communicated with and went to Upokongaro about 3 a.m. and found accused and his friends on the road, and they were brought back to Wanganui. Accused was to appear on summons, but disappeared, and had not. been heard of until yesterday morning, when he gave himself up. Accused said that the whole trouble was caused through drink. At the lime his prohibition order only had three weeks to run. Since the commission of the offences he had been in casual employment and had given himself up in order to make a fresh start. The magistrate said that there was an element that had not been mentioned: that an unfortunate girl had been brought before the Court previously. She had been given liquor that morning. The magistrate considered that such conduct was disgraceful: any young man who took girls out in this wav and gave them drink was a voung blackguard.