ALLEGED CARNAL KNOWLEDGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3753, 11 February 1928, Page 3

ALLEGED CARNAL KNOWLEDGE.

NO CORROBORATIVE EVIDENCE

There was rather a sudden end to the charge of unlawful earns knowledge preferred against an Apiti farmer, named Richard George Harland at the Supreme Court in Palmerston North on Thursday. , The oirl whom accused was alleged to have assaulted told the Court (that she was 14 years of age and lived with her mother and accused (her. step-father) at Apiti. The offence, she stated, occurred on the night of December 7, while Inn mother was absent at the pm ui es. Her father had returned home am o-ot into bed with her but bad W again before her mother returned. “Mother saw dad up tbe road, ad ded witness, “and when she came in asked me if he bad been playing up a °Mr. Cooper objected to tins last statement an it had not been made in' the presence ot accused and his Honour upheld tbe objection. Mr. Cooke, in answer to Ins Honour, stated that inquiries bad been made into the ease but no evidence to corroborate the girl’s story cotia he secured, although she alleged that the step-father had been »■'- duly familiar more than once. ' Addressing the jury his Honon stated that for a charge ot this nature" to succeed, something . the was necessary. It as 1101 cient for the girl alone to accuse a man. In the present case the B n appeared to be truthful and said her step-father had committed an unlawful act. Nobody witnessed the affair and nobody knew anything- about it except her mothei who suspected something. She, unfortunately, had put a leading question to the girl who had es That was not corroboration. IBs Honour added that Kc sow nothing else for it hut a verdict ot uot " The jury, without retiring, adopted his Honour’s suggestion and Harland was discharged.