“MUST BE STOPPED”

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 44, 23 June 1947, Page 5

“MUST BE STOPPED”

TRESPASSING AT HOSPITAL OFFENDER SENT TO PRISON “This is a serious offence and a stop must be put to it,” said the presiding justices, Messrs. C. H. Christensen and S. S. Shapley, J’s P., in the Police Court at Whakatane on Friday morning when sentencing a young Maori to four weeks’ imprisonment in the Whakatane Police Gaol. The accused was John Savage who pleaded guilty to being unlawfully on the premises of the Whakatane Hospital at 11 p.m. on the night of June 17.

Sergeant Farrell stated that Savage and another man had forced their way into the nurses’ quarters. They had manhandled a Sister to the extent that she required medical treatment, and her relatives had since taken her away from the hospital.

Trespassing at the hospital had become a perfect pest, added Sergeant Farrell. The hospital authorities had had difficulty in keeping a staff because female employees had been frightened by men prowling around. Because of the shortage of staff the nurses had a difficult enough time without being subjected to such treatment. There had been a number of complaints to the police, causing police officers a great deal of extra work. The intruders were seldom there by the time the police could be summoned.

“There is no excuse for such trespassing,” added Sergeant Farrell. “There are notices prominently displayed at the hospital warning people to keep off the premises at night.”

Accused had nothing to say. The Bench said it was regrettable to have to send a young man into custody, but they felt that the practice of trespassing at the hospital must be stopped. Accused would be sent to the Whakatane Police Gaol for four weeks.