Action for Seduction.

Manawatu Herald, 23 May 1903, Page 2

Action for Seduction.

Mr Jusfcice Edwards and a common jury of four were engaged with the hearing of an action in which George Wilkins, a fanner residing at Trentham, sued Vincent Connell, clerk, Wellington, to recover £SOO damages for the seduction of his daughter, GertLmde Mary Wilkins. Mr Jellicoe appeared for plaintiff and Mr Skerrett for defendant. The evidence showed that the girl was but eighteen years of age, and the defendant has not yet attained his majority. His family belonged to the same locality as the Wilkins, and he was in the habit of going down .to Trentham to spend Sundays. On such occasions he invariably visited the girl’s house, and he had been keeping company with here for the past , three years. On two occasions in the month of September last he escorted Gertrude Wilkins to ping-pong tournaments, and even took part in the family councils to the extent of expressing disapproval Of her being sent to service. There was no engagement between them, but the girl stated that he promised never to leave her.: A child was born a fortnight ago. In answer to Mr Skerrett, Mrs Wilkins admitted that the defendant’s father made an offer of settlement, but the amount tendered was not sufficient to pay expenses. Mr Skerrett did not call any .evidence, but . asked the jury to mark its sense of such proceedings against a junior clerk, from . whom a penny could not be recovered,, by scouting the action from Court. His Honor, addressing the jury, described the case' as a very bad one. He considered the defendant deserved a good horse-whipping, but the law did not allow that means of avenging such wrongs, which was rather unfortunate in some cases. The jury, after an absence of twenty-three minutes, returned to Court, and awarded the plaintiff £250 damages. Judgment was entered accordingly, with costs according to scale.—Times.