PUNISHMENT OF GIRLS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 44, 15 November 1907, Page 6

PUNISHMENT OF GIRLS.

ALLEGED LASHING. A CLERGYMAN'S PROTEST. (bt telegraph—mess association.) Christchurch, November 14. The Rev. F. P. Fendall, Vicar of Rangiora, in the course of a letter to a local journal, makes certain charges regarding the treatmerit of two inmates of To Oranga Homo, Christchurch, where. quasi-criminal girls are Ho says: "I hnvo hoard from what I believe to be absolutely, rcliablo authority that quite recently two inmates of tho To Oranga were thought'to have made an attempt to escape. The police were called on the scene to scour the country near the Home, but the missing ones were found hiding in a loft above the laundry, never having left the promises at all. The punishment meted out to those two girls for this heinous offence was that the-clnqr girl, ishment . meted out to . theso' girls for hair cut off, and also, was subjected to a lashing of twelve strokes' on practically a bare back. Tho younger girl, aged, sixteen, was merely lashed with six or eiglit strokes in the same manner. Now if this be true, can you tell me whothcr such treatment has tho sanction and approval of the Department? such methods of dealing with troublesome girls are in vogue, I think it . high time-an inquiry was hold 1 into tho whole management of the Home. I quite understand that discipline must bo maintained among the girls, and that sometimes the punishmont must bo severe, but always the 'amendment of tho offender should be the object aimed at. Cutting off the hair of young women of nearly twenty, and twelve strokes on tho/bare back can only harden and embitter." A reporter interviewed the matron of tho Home to-day, with the object of ascertaining what was tho disciplinary system adopted at the Homo, and whether the Rev. Mr. Fendall's charges were correct, but. tho matron 1 stated that any information on tho matter must come from the Department.

Seen at an early hour this morning, Mr. Fowlds stated that he had not yet received a detailed report regarding tho alleged flogging of two girls at the To Oranga Home, Christchurch, and until he had received such a report he could not enter into details regarding the case. It may be stated, however, that tho girls in such homes are often very difficult to deal with. The punishment of cutting off the hair can only be inflicted- with ministerial sanction. This has been granted previously in one or two cases, but not in this one.