“FEMININE INQUISITIVENESS.’

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1972, 3 May 1919, Page 3

“FEMININE INQUISITIVENESS.’

OPENING POSTAL PACKETS. At the Supreme Court, Wellington, on Thursday, before the Chief .Jastiee (Sir Robert Stout), Mary Josephine Leo came np for sentence on a charge of opening postal packets at Apiti. While admitting the seriousness of the ordinary oltenec of this type, Mr G. Whitson, for the defence, claimed that this ease was not so had in that the packets had not been opened with any hope of gain. Sir Robert Stout: It appears that some people were courting,‘and that iliis woman opened letters to see what was being said between them. . . , , It was feminine inquisitiveness.

Mr Watson said the man whose letter had been opened had apparently been on very familiar terms with the accused girl, but had changed his affections and had written letters to the second girl, hoping that they would he opened. Sir Robert Stout: He adopted a very clever ruse, putting into his letter a little salt, which, when the letter was opened in the post office, dropped out so that when the letter reached its destination the salt wa..> missing, proving flint the letter had been opened. Mr Watson handed in a petition from the residents of Apiti, testifying to the excellent character of the accused.

Sir Robert Stout said that hud the offence been of the ordinary type there would have been no option but to send the amised to gaol. U was not necessary, he thought, to piueo Leo on probation, and instead lie would order her to come up for sentence when called upon. She would not be so called upon if she paid £3 3s towards the cost of tho prosecution within six months.