OBSCENE EXPOSURE
CHIEF JUSTICE'S STRICTURES. v lfy Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 27. Such girls as these if left at large are and will he not only a danger to themselves but a menace to the youths of the community and they are simply 'inviting commission of crime of the description which tie prisoner has committed, said the Chief Justice, when Jas. Webster Bittle, 28, appeared for sentence on two ‘charges of indecent assault on a female child and two charges of obscene exposure. The offences were committed at Petone.
After remarking on the painfulness of the case to Bittle himself, who hitherto had borne an excellent character, his Honour went on to say that the importance of the 'natter front a pubjic viewpoint, however, is that the papers before him disclose the depths of depravity on the part of young girls of eleven and twelve years of age. which are as appalling as they are amazing. One might hone that such eases are as rare as they are appalling, but unfortunately those of us who have to do with criminals know the contrary. He was not speaking of the last lew months during which he had been in his present position, lint from his experience of his association with criminal law in tlic past few years. This was t!ie fourth case within the sj ace of less than a month, in which there had been evidence before the Court of a depravity of a most serious kind, on the part of young girls, and he would not have made the special mention now. but: for the ages of the two girls. The point he wanted to come to was that such girls as tlies«\ if left at large were, and would Li* not on! v a danger to themselves. etc. His regret was there was no power in that Court on the disclosure of such eases to commit the girls to an institution for a term of years for correction and discipline. He made a suggestion that the Court should he invested with such a power and commended the suggestion to consideration of the authorities. Bittle got twelve months reformative,
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Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1929, Page 5
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361OBSCENE EXPOSURE Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1929, Page 5
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