CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH AT BLENHEIM.

Manawatu Times, Volume X, Issue 1328, 23 October 1884, Page 4

CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH AT BLENHEIM.

PEE-8 ASSOCIATION.) ' ' '•• Blenheim, Oct. 21 . The half-yearly Supreme, Court sittings opeued to day. Judge JRichinond^ m 'charging the Grand Jury upon the charge of infanticide' againsti Fanny Bonnington, -which is the only indictment m the calendar, referred to the reluctance of juries to convict for child murder, even, on the, most crmvir-oiior evidence., The law on iii- ■ ij ••••. was not m accordance with publ.c sen tip", ment, and ought to be amended, though it was easier to complain of the existing law than to suggest a satisfactory improvement. One would like that the partner of a woman's • guilt should share her shame and punishment, but such a course was not practicable. The "Grand- Jury found a true hill of concealment of birth only. The trial of the prisoner is now proceed^ ing. ;Sh.e "v?as a domestic servant to Mr D'odson, M.H.R., and entered his employment hi February, and' was delivered of an infant on the night of the 3rd of July, the body being -i found m a closet the next mornings ...-.- .... Lv ■ i • .-—. : >*';.>: Later.:-. Fanny Bonnington, for concealt* ment of birth, was acquitted, on the ground of insanity, it being shown that I 'pris6ner's 'behaviour was peculiar/ and that insanity is m the family. 3L She was ; ordered td be detained during the Colonial Secretary'^pleasure. ..;:;,.-..