YOUNG GIRL'S CLAIM NOT PROVEN

NZ Truth, Issue 1150, 15 December 1927, Page 8

YOUNG GIRL'S CLAIM NOT PROVEN

Dashing Youth Lyons Is Exonerated From Responsibility

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

LITTLE would any of those laughing young people, meeting the camera's eye with the full glow of youthful exuberance, dream for one moment that the group would one day figure as a useful exhibit in court proceedings. Much less, probably, did Gwendolin Cross and James Lyons, a twenty-three-year-old youth in the group, realize that they posed at a party that was to prove the forerunner to another gathering that would land them before' the powerful lens of the public court. • ."• ■ I Directed to the witness-box by her counsel, Lawyer Sel Clark, Gwendolin Cross gave the circumstances which had been the cause of her claim against James Lyons. She claimed that Lyons was the father of her child. A PARTY She had met the defendant at a party given at a girl friend's place —Edith Mason, of Stanley Bay. „ * The first gathering was a birthday party and the? Becond Just a "nmall parly." These were the only occasions. ' She had, she said, been too ashamed to toll anyone of her unfortunate condition until -a short time before the birth of the ohlld. She then confided to' the secretary of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children. Lawyer Gatenby (cross-examining): When did you first make a statement about the paternity of your child?—To the secretary of the society in the office —my mother took me there. Witness said the particular party on July 20, when the flashlight was taken, enabled her to speak specifically in regard to her subsequent condition. Now,. Miss Cross,: it is necessary for me to ask,you some very embarrassing questions.. If Miss Mason gets into the box and says that you said Lyons was not the. father, what would you say?— I ehould say she Was fibbing. She denied unusual familiarity with other men. Lawyer Gatenby • handed in to the magistrate a flashlight photograph of the happy dancers in group, and the couple conoemed were, pointed out., : Before: putting his client into the box, counsel mentioned that it was impossible for his client to be the father of the child v "I could bring a whole host of witnesses to prove It," stated counsel with reference to a certain ' allegation against tho plaintiff. "S.M.: "You must not say that, Mr. Gatenby.'V •' Counsel: "I don't want to bring the whole party here, sir." \ S.M.: "Bring the whole party here, if you wish, but you must not make such reference." 1

fJAZING into the flashlight 1 ** photograph handed in by | Lawyer Gatenby, Magistrate 1 Cutten, at the Auckland Magis- | trate's Court recently, had | pointed out to him the pretty | young face of Gwendolin Mavis f Joyce Cross. The photo de- x | picted a bevy of happy-faced | girls, proportionately interspers- § ed with smiling young men. | There was a suggestion of youth | and 'merriment about the pic- = ture —the glamor of the ball- | room—the thrill of jazz music— I Life! | lIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKI.IIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKIIIIIIIIIIIKr

Another centenarian smoker; and thlß time a iwoman. A Home paper records the death at Messing, near Tiptree, Essex, of Mrs. Naomi Harrington at the' age of one hundred years. The good old lady smoked a clay pipe every day and attributed her long life, at any rate in part, to that practice. What the anti-tobaccoites will say to thia must be left to conjecture, but a more convincing proof of the harnilessness of tobacco could hardly be found. The plain fact of the matter is that smoking won't hurt anyone so long as the tobacco is pure and as free from nicotine as possible. The imported brands, by the. way, are mostly full of nicotine, ghat's where they differ so essentially from our own New Zealand tobaocos —the purest in the world and the freest, from nicotine. They are quite safe and owe their fine aroma and delicious fragrance to- the toasting of the leaf (quite a novelty). Ask your tobacconist for "Rlverhead Gold" mild, "Navy Cut" (Bulldog) medium, or "Cut Plug No. 10" (Bullahead) full strength^

Binoe his return to the arena | of active politics, no figure has | become the subject of such § speculation as that of Sir § Joseph Ward. There is. still § reason—and very good reason— | to believe, that the ex-Prime 1 Minister will again lead a party | before' very long. § iiiiiiiuimiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiuiiiiiiuiimiiujmiiG

James LyonSj a dashing young man arrayed in full Oxford bags and double-breasted coat, stepped into the box to deny the allegations. On September 11 he was a member of a shooting party at Ngaruawahia, and on August 28 he was not at Mason's party. That disposed of the allegations. Cross-examined by Lawyer Clark, defendant admitted that he once visited the Mason home on a Sunday afternoon. He was only twice during last year at Mason's during the evening, although he was often invited to parties. Counsel: They hold parties more often than the ordinary house ?-<-Oh, no. / CABARET To further questioning he admitted that he often attended the Parissienne Cabaret, but could not remember being there when Miss Cross was there. He certainly never went there in the same party as the plaintiff. Counsel: Do you remember Miss Mason inviting you to a party on August 28?— No. Whom of the Mason household invited you in July?— Evelyn. About what time at the party did you meet my olient? —About midnight. Witness had not taken the girl out that night for a trip on a motor-bike; neither could he remember who had gone out for a Joy-ride—it was likely; he said, that any one of them may have gone. How long have you known the Masons?— About three years, Edith Mary Mason said she had known the plaintiff for about x 18 months. She became friendly with her when they were both working as typistes in the same building. At the gathering in September witness remembered seeing her friend Gwendolin in a compromising position. Witness was positive there was no party at her place on the night of August 28. Plaintiff had stopped at witness's place on the night of August 21, but there was no party. Miss Cross often stopped with witness for the week-end because they were friends and plaintiff lived at Henderson. When is your birthday?— : August 21. Sure of that?— Yes. Witness described the social routine of her household as comprising "frequent little gatherings." Often they had friends round on a Sunday. Another witness, a young v man who also figured in the photograph, gave evidence on behalf of the defence. • Magistrate Cutten withheld his decision for several days before announcing judgment for the defendant with no prejudice against a further hearing.