MISSING GIRL FOUND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1530, 1 April 1916, Page 4

MISSING GIRL FOUND.

JIVING WITH MAI,E FRIEND. An extraordinary charge was heard before Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., in the Auckland police court this week, when a man named James Frazer, aged 27, a native of New South Wales, was charged that on March 20 he took a girl under the age of 18 years out of the possession of her mother against the latter’s will. The disappearance of the girl was reported recently, and the discovery of her whereabouts had its sequel in the present prosecution. The accussed pleaded guilty. The circumstances, as related by Sub Inspector Mcllveney, were that the accused, who was a man of considerable education and intelligence, knew the girl at a country town in which she had resided. While in this town he had been acquainted with her casually and surreptitiously. Some two mouths ago the girl and her parents came to Auckland, in order that the girl, who had shown considerable promise at school, should have the advantage of better educational facilities in the city. On March 17 the accused met the girl in question in the street. Instead of going to school as she had set out to do, the girl accompanied the accused to a p’cture theatre, and later went with him for a taxicab drive. This experience was repeated for several days, the girl’s parents having no knowledge of it. On March 20 he took the girl to a hotel in Parnell, and engaged two rooms for the night, representing that he and his companion were brother and sister. The rooms were adjacent to each other, and during the night the accused entered the girl’s room. They went to several hotels during the week. On March 27 accused engaged rooms at the Shamrock Hotel. On reading the story in the press concerning the missing girl, the suspicions of one of the hotel occupants was aroused, and the police were informed. Sergeant Ryan went to one of the rooms and found the accused and his companion in it. Sub-Inspector Mcllveney said that, although the girl was over 16 years of age, the law protected her when she left home against her parents’ will. He emphasised the seriousness of the offence with which the accused stood charged. The Magistrate said the charge was of a very rare nature. Questioned by the bench, accused said there was an understanding between himself and the girl. His intentions towards her were good. The girl said she had been willing to go with accused right from the beginning. The arrangement was that she should subsequently return to her home and that he should call for her later. The Magistrate said the man might have had a feeling of affection for the girl, which she returned. The man was 10 years older than the girl who was very immature, even for 17 years. He would not let the question of marriage enter into his consideration of the case. The accused would be convicted and sentenced to three months’ hard labour, with not more than 12 months’ reformative treatment.