OUR HISTORY – ANOTHER FIRST

Miss Alice Basten had the distinction of being the first woman to preside over a special sitting of the Police Court in Auckland. It was convened at Police Headquarters on the afternoon of Saturday, December 23rd 1939 to deal with 7 men charged with gambling. Miss Basten, sitting with A. J. Stratford, remanded the defendants on bail so they did not have to spend Christmas in the cells. 

Researched and compiled by Ric Carlyon