REV. FEILDEN TAYLOR BEFORE COURT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3821, 21 July 1928, Page 3

REV. FEILDEN TAYLOR BEFORE COURT.

Wellington, July 20. The case for the police was opened to-day iirthe Magistrate’s Court before Mr. E. Page, S.M., against the Rev. Thomas Feilden Taylor, who appeared to answer eleven charges of indecent assault on males whose ages varied from fourteen to sixteen years. The offences were alleged to have been committed between June 24, 1927, and April 27,1928. Mr. P. S. W. Macassey, Crown Prosecutor, appeared for the police and Mr. A. Gray K.C., with him Mr. D. Wl Virtue, for accused. The Court was cleared.

Mr. Macassey did not address the Court but immediately called evidence. The first witness was a fifteen-year-old boy who said he was warned by accused of the danger of committing a certain act and requested him to cease doing it. Accused, he said, had always been kind to him.

The next witness, aged 16, said that certain improper actions took place between him and accused almost every time witness went to accused’s house. Under cross-examination witness admitted losing several jobs for stealing. Witness admitted accused urged him to give up committing the acts but added that the mutual practices continued daily. He consented to them because being on probation he was afraid he would get into a row if he did not consent. Witness first mentioned the matter to his father.

Albert Bullivant, an officer in the Child Welfare Department, said that so far as he knew those boys who went to accused were looked after in a satisfactory manner.

To Mr. Gray witness said accused was a unique personality with methods of his own. His methods were unorthodox but he had the confidence of the boys. As far as witness knew accused had a beneficial influence on the boys. Another boy, an orphan, aged 17, said accused had given him a lecture on sexual matters, had examined his heart and body, and had felt his pulse. Witness did not protest as he was led to understand it was for his own good. To Mr. Gray witness said accused was very good to him and said he would still do anything for accused.

Dr. J. S. Elliott gave evidence that such examination as that said to have been given by accused could not be of much value.

At this stage Mr. Virtue collapsed and had to be taken out into the air where he quickly revived and returned to the Court. CHARGES DISMISSED. Wellington, Last Night. In the Magistrate’s Court to-day Mr. E. Page, S.M., dismissed all charges ,of indecent assault on males against Rev. Thomas Feilden Taylor. The case commenced yesterday. The evidence of the boys to-day was similar to yesterday’s. A detective’s evidence was that when taxed with the allegations accused gave an unqualified denial of them. He stated that all he had done was to conduct examinations of the boys for their own good. He also gave them instruction in sexual matters. Without calling on counsel Magistrate Page dismissed the charge, stating that no jury would convict, the boy witnesses on their own admissions being thoroughly unreliable.