Woman's Story Of Assault In Domain

Chronicle (Levin), 12 March 1949, Page 3

Woman's Story Of Assault In Domain

A UUlvJL AJn D, Marcn 1U. The *story of how a shorthand-typist was allegedly interviewed by a man who posed as "Mr. Ballantynp," of a well-known Chxistchuxeh firm and who disdussed with her a proposed world tour, was told in "the Magistrate's Court to-day, when. George Cecil Horry, aged 41, tailor, appeared before Justiees of the Peace on a charge -of assaulting a woman. on Marcjx 2. He pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. , A woman witness said she answered an advertisement in a newspaper anct next day a man who elaimed to be Mr. Ballantyne, of Christchurch, telephoned her. She agreed to meet him. She met him outside the Auckland Hospital on Mareh 2, and he offered her a position on a tour abroad. Her duties would be to take minutes of meetings, send and reeeive eode telegrams, and entertain business acquaintances. By this time, witness added, they had walked into the Domain, where he tried to kiss her, but she xefused. Eventually aeeused let her go. Aceused wanted her to meet him tw;o days later. Wituess said she later beeame suspicious. She inquired by telephone from Ballantyne's and reported the matter to the police. She later attended an identiiication parade, and picked out aeeused as the man who interviewed her. Keuneth Ballantyne, managing direetor of Ballantyne's, Ltd., of Christchurch, said aeeused had no connection with the firm.