A DIRTY OLD MAN.

NZ Truth, Issue 110, 27 July 1907, Page 6

A DIRTY OLD MAN.

Another Good Character Goes 'Bung.' It is amazing' what antics some people of hitherto unimpeachable character will get up to at times. Their -morals are undoubted and have always been so, yet they break, out suddenly and find themselves m quod mno -time. In numerous instances it is no doubt tbe fact that they have been committing themselves all the time, but have never been found out. When a perfectly sober man, who has reached the ripe age of sixty, is guilty pf grossly indecent conduct m. front of a 'little girl one wonders if be has always been addicted to aotin-g m such a vile manner. There was a case of this sort heard at Timaru -before Magistrate Wray when a low-minded brute of a fellow, Hugh McColl, was docked on a change of indecently exposing himself. The offence happened at Caroline Bay, and tbe little girl to whom the beast exposed himself said that he did so, not only once, but twice, and she gave infoHna-tion ;tbat led to his arrest. The charge WAS NOT DENIED BY THE ' BLACKG-UARD, who -was sixty years of age, but he brought a resident forward who said he had known McColl for 20 years, and always found him a decent,'honest fellow. He couldn't understand how*- he came -to make such a lapse. In reply to a question, prisoner said he . couldn't account for it himself: Seeing that the Act provides for a year's imprisonment for obscenity of this kind, the bestial fellow should consider himself lucky m .only going up for a month.. His previous good character was. taken into account, of course ; but one doesn't know bow many times tho old reprobate has misconducted himself before girls previously. Tlie public must be protected from vagabonds of this sort, 'and their previous alleged respectability shouldn't be taken into account at all m. assessing' punishment.,.