CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 53, 5 March 1915, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION

METHODIST MINISTER ARRESTED !N THE GARDENS.

Per Phkss Association. Cluistchurch, March 1

\ A sensation was caused i>) the city I to-day when it been me known that a 'Methodist minister had been arrested. jon a charge of wilfully exposing himself in public garden-. To the policejtnan who arrested him. lie said he was the Rev. William George Maslni, of Foxton, and that he was in Christchurch to attend the Methodist Conference, j

jMaslin was brought before the Magistrate's Court this afternoon, and elected to be dealt with summarily. He was remanded and bail was applied for.

Sub-Inspector Hastie said that the circumstances briefly were that at about 10.-'SO a.m. three young girls left the School of Art and went into the public gardens near by, and started sketching on the river bank, near the bridge leading to the acclimatisation grounds. Accused crossed the bridge, and the girls heard a whistle from the direction opposite them. The eldest girl looked and saw the accused exposing himself. She said to her companions "Don't look." Accused hid in a bush when the gardener was passing, and then came out again and exposed himself once more. The Magistrate: "Who is this man?"

Counsel for accused: "His name is Maslin. lam sorry to say he is a member of the Methodist ministry and was attending the conference. He lias a perfectly feasible explanation of his actions."

The Magistrate said ho would allow bail, lint would make it substantial. Accused was accordingly remanded until Saturday morning, bail being allowed, splf .in £2OO and two sureties of €IOO each.