STUDENT'S LAPSE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 700, 28 November 1933, Page 5

STUDENT'S LAPSE

(Press Assn.—

CHRISTCHURCH CASE sends indecent document in answering an adyertisement FINE OF £10 IMPOSED

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

Christchurch, Monday. A stu,dent of Canterbury College whose name was suppressed, was fined £10 in default imprisonmen.t for one month in the Magistrate's Court to-day for sending indecent documents through the post. Chief Detective Dunlop said that j an advertisement had been pnt in a J Christchurch newspaper by a girl I seeking a position, and she had had two answers on the following day apparently written by the same person. T.he letters, which contained very . serious suggestions, of an indecent nature were given by the girl to her mother who took them to the police. The police had identiffed accused hy his handwriting. Accused admitted writing the letters and said that it was all meant as a hoax. Mr. Roy Twineham, counsel for the defendant, said that earlier in the year, accused with other students had answered some matrimonial advertisements. He seemed to be simple-minded in some respects hut was a hrilliant student. Accused had since seen the girl and her mother and had apologised and had so impressed them that they had written aslcing to have the charge withdrawn. Couns.el appealed to the magistrate to suppress the accused's name saying that in the circumstances, publication would be a more severe penalty than imprisonment. Defendant was exceedingly ashamed of himself and was very contrite. The magistrate said that he could not understand the condition of mind of youths who could commit such an offence. He allowed the ac.cused 48 hours to find the money.