AN OFFENSIVE LETTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1922, Page 5

AN OFFENSIVE LETTER.

YOUTH AND YOUNG LADY. Christchurch, Wednesday. “Rabelaisian” was the term applied by counsel to the conduct of George Herbert Harris, a presentable youth of 17 years, who appeared before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M.. at the Magistrate’s Court to-day charged with having addressed a letter containing certain offensive matter to a yoiing woman, Miss E. Billingham. Mr. W. C. Wilson appeared for defendant, who plead-CSrief-Detective. Cameron said the in-, formation was laid under the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908. Defendant had been courting the young woman Billingham, and had sent her a letter, following a quarrel with her family, containing filthy matter. The letter had been received by the father of the girl, and he had destroyed the offensive portion. Frederick Billingham, indent agent, said he had known the defendant for nine months. Ho had warned him to keep away from, his daughter. Witness described the condition of the letter sent through the post. Counsel said the youth seemed to have a momentary lapse into a certain mood of Rabelais or Balzac. The Magistrate: It does not seem to be a very classic matter, Mr. Wilson. Counsel questioned whether the works to which he had referred were classics, and the magistrate remarked that at any rate those of Balzac were. Counsel said the mother of the girt had gone to the place of defendant’s employment. She had called him a waster and made another allegation. This was in front of his fellow-workers. After she left, Harris had a fit and was sent to the hospital for observation. Counsel asked the magistrate to accept the statement that the defendant’s fits had affected his judgment. The incident was his “warped” way of “getting one back on” the Billinghams. Dr. Orchard said he had known the defendant for over ten years. Late in 1921 he was sent for and found defendant unconscious. He had every appearance of having had an epileptic fit. He would say that defendant was in an unstable condition. Harris had had a good home and was well brought up. The magistrate characterised the act as one of filthy beastliness. He could not admit the youth to probation, as the offence was one for which a penalty must be imposed as a warning to others. The case presented some difficulty, because Harris was subject to fits, and mentally might not be quite normal.