Thursday, July 26, 2007

The auction for the Timaru Lady cane

Oh, give me a break. There is nothing at all wrong with the Timaru Lady listing the cane on Trademe for sale. It's a piece of New Zealand history, and maybe someone wants it more than her. And likewise, there's nothing wrong with anyone bidding on the cane. Bradford was quoted as saying:"It's a real tragedy that something that's been used to beat a child is being glorified and sold for profit". The cane is hardly being glorified. And this website is not a "pro-smacking site".

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This article from www.stuff.co.nz
The Dominion Post | Thursday, 26 July 2007

Green MP Sue Bradford says she is appalled that a cane linked to a notorious child discipline case has cropped up for sale in an internet auction.

The MP who forced a rewrite of laws governing smacking described the Trade Me sale as "ugly", particularly because someone was seeking to gain from a child's pain.

The implement, once wielded by a Timaru mother, is being marketed as "the cane that changed the law".

The woman, who has name suppression and is believed to be the seller, was acquitted in 2005 of assaulting her 13-year-old son with a riding crop and a bamboo cane.

What became known as "the Timaru horsewhip case" proved a rallying point for those on either side of Ms Bradford's controversial anti-smacking law.

"It's a real tragedy that something that's been used to beat a child is being glorified and sold for profit," she said yesterday.

"It's a real indictment on the person selling it. Even though a court let them off, it was that type of case that lay behind a lot of my motivation for the bill."

By 6pm yesterday, the auction had attracted only three bids.

The top bid of $5 was lodged by Andrew Moore, a self-described "Christiana/student/entrepreneur" from Christchurch and a contributor to pro-smacking site.

The tongue-in-cheek blurb for the auction said the cane would suit a range of purposes.

"It could become a cop and go on a stake out!! ... It could become an Silver Fern so they can continue to cane the Aussies ... It could join the American Army ... I hear they're looking for weapons of m'ass destruction!"

The cane was listed under the user name "come-a-cropper", from Timaru.

Family First director Bob McCoskrie said he understood it was being sold by the mother.

"I'm not sure if she's making a political point or fundraising for legal costs."

The woman and her husband are facing another trial for alleged assault of another son.

In April, the woman displayed the cane and her riding crop in a video posted on YouTube.com.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's not actually the type of NZ history that is deserving of celebration. If it was just an ordinary cane, it wouldn't fetch as much many as it probably would being the cane that it is, if you know what I mean. Therefore, part of what is being sold is its negative history. And that's wrong. What if a person sold copies of a video tape where someone was being beaten up. Even if it was a 'sensational' beating, the type of beating that is in the media and there is an uproar about it and so forth, and it therefore becomes part of our history, obviously doesn't make it right for the tape to be sold to people.

Andy said...

You're correct, it is not the kind of history that we will look back on and celebrate. Commemeration is more the order of the day.

Selling violent video-tapes is a different ball-game altogether. Remember that the Timaru lady was aquitted for disciplining her son. That is, she was not convicted of assult on her son.

Thanks for your comment.

dad4justice said...

Good point Andy, the horsewhipping lady was aquitted of the criminal assault charge in a court of law , however that did not stop Sue Bradford and the socialist spin doctors from using it as a lever to implement their insipid nanny state ideology . I cried this morning after reading the horrific abuse of a three -year old girl( hung from a clothes line and put in a dryer ) No doubt the PC approach will see these scumbags bailed just like the Kahui Case . Why are the socialist Labour /Green freakshow government silent on these matters .This government must be destroyed - for the sake of our children .I know who I would cane first and second , six of the best for both of them . The government is guilty of large scale child abuse .

Anonymous said...

>>>>It's not actually the type of NZ history that is deserving of celebration. If it was just an ordinary cane....

It is the type of New Zealand history that needs to be remembered. It was a very effective means for disciplining a 12 year old boy over a clothed bottom and the jury thought so too. This cane did not bruise, leave welts or cuts on the boy. His behaviour changed and everyone commented on his good behaviour not just his parents. His School teachers were impressed with the change in the boy.

This is a piece of New Zealand history that does need to be remembered.

Andy said...

You're absolutely right. However, we cannot look back with pride. For this is a piece of history which reminds us that our Government acted in a communistic, anti-democratic way, ignoring the voice of the majority of the people.

Thanks for your comment.

dad4justice said...

Infanticide and child abuse are at record levels and the shambolic government is doing nothing about it . Section 59 was a pathetic attempt at trying to fix a problem that has made us the shame of the Western World .

Our children deserve a better deal from the dysfunctional government that is the most family unfriendly bunch of cowards we have ever had to endure in our history !!

FamilyIntegrity said...

Yes, dad4justice, children do need a better deal...

Look at the Family First Press Release today

http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/07/27-july-2007-family-first-calls-for.html

FamilyIntegrity said...

Here is the Press Release again

http://familyintegrity.blogspot.com/2007/07/27-july-2007-family-first-calls-for.html