INDECENT ASSAULT

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1929, Page 5

INDECENT ASSAULT

(Ry Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, November 8

The trial of Golder Singh Share, on a charge of indecent assault on a girl in his surgery, was continued at the Supreme Court to-day.

Accused stated in evidence that,, he was a registered medical practitioner and had' been practising in Auckland for 9] years. He was a married man and had one son. On September 20th he was at the pharmacy. Saw the girl looking’into his room. Answering his inquiry she said she had injured her thumb by running a Machine needle into it. The thumb was bandaged, but the girl did not mention that she had been attended by another doctor. When he mentioned that she should rest for a fortnight she said she had not been well and had'occasional internal pains. She expressed a desire to be examined. Witness carried out the usual examination made by medical men. Witness denied having done anything improper. The examination on the couch occupied about fifteen minutes.,;.- Ih-the course of (the examination he mentioned that his hobby was photography and showed her some stereoscopic slides, but no objectionable photographs. These produced in court were not in his possession thnt day but were with a friend and were returned to witness on the Sunday following the girl’s visit. The girl left in the most friendly way, but when witness was going out he saw her and Doctor Brockway talking. Witness said to the girl: “What are you doing now.” Brockway replied: “She’smy patient.” Witness said: “Oh no; I have attended to her,” Brockway replied: “ All right, all right,” and then took the girl into a room. Witness then went to the place where the girl was employed to inquire about insurance. Witness said .when interviewed by detectives, he admitted the examination of the girl, but denied the allegation of indecency. He drew their attention to the open window and the fact that the door could not be locked from the inside,

Mr Meredith put Share through a vigorous cross-examination concerning the photographs. Witness said he took certain ones for scientific purposes. ,

Mr Meredith: “Are those the ones you loaned to a friend?” Witness: “Yes.”

Mr Meredith: “To an ordinary man would these pictures be regarded as disgusting?” Witness: “I suppose they would.”

Mr Meredith: “And thes you say were give nyou by a returned soldier, chv did you'keep them?” Witness: “My wife advised me to destroy them,” His Honour: “Did you show them to your wife?”

Witness: “Yes. There is nothing between my wife and me. She advised me to burn them. I wish I had taken her advice.” Mr Meredith: “You said that the door, when you examined the jprl, was half open.”

Witnes: “Yes.” Air Meredith: Surely you don’t mean to say you would make such an examination as you did of this girl with the door half open? Witness; “I didn’t pay any attention to it. If the patient objects I would close the door.” Air 'Meredith: But don’t you consider the modesty of your patients ? Witness: “I am very polite to them, and consider their interests.”

Mr Meredith, picking up a photograph : Do you consider it right to show a decent girl, who comes to you as a patient, pictures such as this? Witness: She did not object. His Honour: Do you usually show suich pictures to your patients?—No.