SERIOUS OFFENCES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8357, 18 February 1913, Page 7

SERIOUS OFFENCES

GRAND JURY RECOMMENDS FLOGGING. Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 'l7. Charges set down for hearing at the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court are marked by an increase of offences of a sexual nature. His Honor Mr Justice Edwards in his charge to the grand jury referred to the matter. Ho said ho was sorry to see so many sexual Crimes. No less than seven of these were offences hgainst girls under the age of consent, and there was also another offence. “I want to point out to you,” his Honor said, “that in most of the sexual cases that physical harm done to victims is perhaps nil, but the moral harm is enormous. You know as well as I do that there is immense danger in familiarising the mind of youth with vice.” At. the end of the day, when the grand jury had dealt with the list, the, foreman announced that it had passed the following resolution: “This grand jury views with alarm the increasing number of indecent assaults upon children of tender years, and strongly urges your Honor to place this presentment before the Minister of Justice with a view to augmenting the law by introducing flogging, which we consider will act as a deterrent.” His Honor pointed out that the law already provided for flogging in certain oases, and it all depended upon the nature of this session’s charges if flogging would be given as a i punishment to persons to be charged. He promised that the resolution would receive proper attention.