NELSON CASE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 53, 31 January 1938, Page 12

NELSON CASE.

CHARGES DISMISSED. Per Press Association. NELSON, Jan. 28. Giving judgment to-day in the case in which two women who recently came to Nelson under arrangements to live as mistresses with Chinese men were charged with being persons with out visible means of support, the Magistrate, in dismissing the informations, said: “Defendents are charged with having no lawful means of support. They unashamedly admit that they come from Wellington to live as the respective mistresses of two young Chinese, one of whom lives at Stoke and the other at Richmond. They are both of a bad character, with several convictions recorded against them, and have for several years consorted with Chinese. One admits frequenting Haining Street, Wellington, a notorious Chinese quarter. They both, however, deny promiscuous sexual immorality, and the evidence establishes nothing more than a suspicion, to the contrary. The question is whether they have lawful means of support. “It is no more criminal for a women to live an immoral life than it is for a man. Both these young women were provided with a home and food. They had a comparatively substantial sum of money in their possession when arrested, and I do not doubt they spoke the truth when they said their Chinese friends gave it to them. All they have to prove is that they obtained it by honest, even though discreditable, means. It is honestly obtained unless it is obtained in some criminal manner. Monev obtained even by prostitution, although ill-gotten, is not dishonestly obtained. The charges therefore fail, aud the informations are dismissed.’-’