A WOMAN'S LAPSE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 5 June 1918, Page 7

A WOMAN'S LAPSE

MISAPPROPRIATION OF COUNTY FUNDS

TWO YEARS' REFORMATIVE

TREATMENT

Before His Honour Mr. Justice Edwards at the Supremo Court yesterday Martha Ifutchins, who was "formerly clerk to tho Woodvillo County Council, and who had pleaded guilty to misappropriating ,£565, the property of that body, was set forward for sentence.

When tho case was previously before tho Court it was suggested 011 behalf of the prisoner that she had been blackmailed by two men, since deceased, and had given them sums of money from time to time in order to induce them not to. make public the fact that sho had at one time given birth to an illegitimate child. The case was adjourned for a fortnight for further inquiries to be made as to these statements.

When the case was resumed yesterday, Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, who appeared for the Crown, placed tho prisoner in the witness-box and asked her whether sho swore that a man who had since been killed at tho front had blaclanailcd her.

Prisoner replied in tho affirmative. She further stated that sho first took money belonging .to tho council about September, J916, and thnt she had made payments to tho man in question over a period of about three months. The farther of her child, had not blackmailed her. Sho could not say whether she had told Mr. Ward that sho was engaged to the soldier referred to ns having blackmailed her, but sho loved him and would tell everybody that. She admitted having made an untrue stitment to the polico involving certain couacillors.

Mr. Macassey said the girl hod made somo terriblo charges, and he was prepared to prove that they were untrue. James WaTd, Government Audit Inspector, said lie had examined the books of the accused, tho last inspection commencing on March 6, 1918. On December 20, 1917,' there was unaccounted for a sum of -£318 6s. lOcl. Witness painted •out to accused that tliero was a deficiency in the books, and she stated that »ho had given money to a man in order to induce him not to make public the fact that she had had an illegitimate child. The mother of one of the men whom accused alleged had blackmailed her stated that from February, 1917, until the time of his death her son was practically an invalid. Prom the ago of 21 until'he was 23 her son earned £2 ss. a week. Miss llutchins had lout her son IDs., but refused to take-it back, as it was a gift. Her 6ou never had moro than a few shillings at any time, and he'spent his money only on books and cigarettes. After December, 1917, her son had never left her house, and for a few mouths previously lie had not been able to walk very far from the house. 111 December the young man gave up smoking, and thereafter had 110 use for money. Had he received largo sums of money witness would have known of it. Miss Hutchins had told her that thero was a rumour regarding her (Miss llutchins's) condition at one time, and that her brother wanted to,take proceedings regarding the matter. Witness was very much surprised when Miss Kutchins made the charge against her 6on. _ Detective-Sergeant Butler, of Hastings, stated that in connection with hor defalcations prisoner stated to him that there was a person living at Woodvillo, but now at tho front, who saw her and suggested that, she had had improper relations with threo gentlemeu. She said sho was perfectly innocent of any misconduct with any of them, but owing to very peculiar circumstances . sho would not clear herself. The person at. tho front had threatened to, tell tho wives of the gentlemen if sho did. not give him money. As ehe could not clear herself she allowed tho man to help himself to tho county cash. Prisoner refnsed to supply him with the name of tho man whom she said had obtained money. Evidcnco was given by Hilton Read, hairdresser; .Frank Martin Kenney, J.P., watchmaker; Ilughie N._ M'Neil, blacksmith; and Pcrev G. Wigzclm. railway porter, all of Woodvillo, <uid_ Mabel Grant, manageress of the- Woodvillo "Examiner," to tho effect' that tho men against whom tho accused had rnado tlie charges wcro not likc-Iy to bo guilty of bliickinail.

His Honour said it was always very painful to deal wit.li a woman in such circumstances, and the. present case had caused him very painful consideration, lie had taken the opportunity to consult his two brother Judges in Wellington upon the subject, and he regretted to say that tliev agreed with him that it was impossible to pass over such a series of offences committed over so long a lime without sending prisoner to gaol. It was impossible, particularly for the' protection of decent girls who went into employment, to deal otherwise with prisoner, and it was quite certain that if she were a man no Judge would for a moment entertain the questiou of releasing her without a substantial punishment. If Judges were to treat a woman occupying a position such as prisoner's by relieving her from the conseqnencca of so many and eo serious offences as hers it would probably mean that. the doors of employment would bo closed to a large number of respectable girls. If .the public came to understand that pfirls who were guilty of repeated peculations wero to be treated differently from men they would be very doubtful about engaging women in any responsible positions at all. He was bound to say that it had not been proved that cither of tlio young men mentioned in the case had been guilty of blackmail, nor did lie liimself credit it. His Honour imposed a scntcnce of two years' reformative treatment. 1 Mr. M. Myers appeared on behalf of prisoner.