ADRIFT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 571, 28 July 1909, Page 8

ADRIFT.

..-' _*—;—_'■-;.;•■ :■ A DESEKTED' ■''I'Twelve years: oldv.and.vihasn't passed, tho First Standard,", said VMr.,-,-, J .ViJineen.Atruant .inspector -for;, the- Aveilingtpnj Education itfoard, to ~tn-B trustees of the Benevolent Homo yesr terduy, when ha appeared bei'oro them in support, of his application that the boy bo cared tor'uiitil' some trace could'be found of-, his father, who 'was 1 supposed to. be-away dowir '■iu Westpor.t, .working- in tho. Granity mine. ;Mr. : Bin-ten went: on to'.explain tliat the boy liad been-.deserted, niul..;left totally 'unprovided' for;'He i had earned a slendor incomo by. 'spll|uaiii3iKH ! ,Si iUiak|iig,!.an'ythuigi.from... Ss. touts'. 3 a :w«Bk, audV-had done 'his-best to ; at-, tend school' wk-su/ bo.-could..-. . Ho had beon. taken in"'.by-< somo'-peoplb i'brVa,- while, : but 'as his earnings would not'pay for his keep, and maintain iiis clothes—he had no_ boots—ho had' boon forced 'to leave, 1 and had drifted prac.tically/ from' pillar ..to. post. "Ho.is, o.good ; boy,". said: Mr. -Diuesii;'' 'plenty: ofgrit."': .-■•■'■ :'.- •;.:■ ■ ■ - ■'■-'" - ; . ; .. '■ ' ■•Recently,'the. boy had, on tho advice of someone, gone to tho Labour Bepartment, and after statiiig that ho was'l4'years of age obtained a permit tb work, and .was given a position at Messrs. Turnb'ull and Company at a-, wage of 10s. a week. ■ As this could not bo allowed, Mr., Dinoen,- in. his capacity, as truant inspector, had.to interfere.''■;.. Before taking proceedings, ho wished, tb know whether the trustees- would .tako the boy,.under ;.their. care- until tho.father was communicated-..with; Ho did .not wish to tako tho'boyj.to'.Court d.f-ihe; could help it. •' •■ ;• .. ~.'.,.,..-. "■ Tho. Rov. W. A..' Evans, pointed out .that (ha oaso was really'ono ! for. the .State: He thought'that the boy -would -be far better off if committed to one; of tho • Stato' institutions. There his career would. bo ..' properly looked after, and if at, any time tho father • could show good reasons for taking.him away, tjio Stato would offer no opposition'.. It.was tho truant, officer's duty to act. in ,this.matter in tho regular way, although thoy all recognised thathehad taken up the. boy's case from pure kindness of heart. '•'..'■ ','-,'' After some discussion, the board decided to look after tho boy for a month, pending inquiries as to tho whereabouts-of, his father. : ,