CHILDREN’S COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1931, Page 5

CHILDREN’S COURT

UNPBRECEDENTED SCENE.

CHRISTCHURCH, August 3. When a woman flatly contradicted 'Mr K. D. Mosiey, S.M., in the Children's Court on Saturday, the incident Jed to an unprecedented scene. “Get out of Court." ordered Mr Mosley. The offender refused to go and lay screaming on the floor until picked up bodily by a police sergeant and carried out, kicking wildly and giving full vent to her lungs. She was the mother of a girl charged with being idle and disorderly in that she had Insufficient lawful means of support. The case occupied some time, evidence being given by the Child Welfare Officers, .Miss Edwards and Mr Bissett, and Miss tardale, the officer for the 'Society for the Protection of Women and Children, to the effect that the girl could not be controlled by her parents and was not healthy. | ‘‘Her father came to me once,” said Miss Cardale, “and appealed to me to do something. He was very drunk and banged on the door, almost breaking the panels.” ,

"Two others of the family have been committed to the' State,” said Miss Edwards, “the boy for theft and the sister has only recently been released on license from the Bunvood Home.

“There is only olle thing to do with this girl,” said Mr Mosley, '“'ahd that is to commit her to the cure of the State-,”

“You won't!" interjected the girl’s mother. “She is going home with me.” Mr Mosley ; Now, just be quiet or I will have to order you out of Court. The mother : I won’t be quiet. , Now, that will do.—You want to take all my children.

And that is the best thing for them, too.—lt’s not; I want her at home. It is very sunny outside. You go out and have a look.—l won't, I won't. Get out of this Court.—l won’t. The woman rose to her feet, but collapsed on the floor, screaming and shouting. Sergeant Kelly sprang to his feet and picked her up, carrying her out of the room. It was teu minutes before her cries subsided. “A bucket of water is '> what that woman wants,” said Mr Mosley at one stage, a remark he repeated laier. The case was continued in the presence of the girl’s father, who apologised to the Bench, saying that his wife was a cripple and helpless. The girl was committed to the care of the .State. , “1 am well known in Christchurch," said the- father.

"Yes, you are known as a drunkard,” said Mr Mosley. ' “No, ?vlr Mosley, 1 have never been drunk in my life." “You' had a”ancl you lost it, didn’t you. because of your habit*?”.—“No, i lost, it, 1 th.iblf, because of hoy. CONVERSION OF MOTOR CAR. “Let this be a lesson to you not to interfere with anyone's ear,” said the Magistrate to two boys aged seventeen and fifteen years, whom he admonished and discharged on a charge of converting a motor-car valued at £250 to their own use on July 29. They pleaded not guilty. Detective-Sergeant O'Brien said he was going home on the evening of Juiy 29 and saw the two boys at a car he recognised as belonging to a man he knew. Fl|e questioned the boys, one

of whom said he- thought it was his uncle's car and that his uncle would not mind their using it. “There was

no switch key In the car,” said the ■Detective-Sergeant, "and it had not been moved, but the boys were in possession. We lose a lot of cars from this area.”

Mr 'Mosley: Young fellows get sitting in cars like this and then conceive the idea of driving off and leaving the car somewhere. This car is probably worth .£3OO or £4-00, so it is not a nice thing to play with, is it? This sort of thing develops into lamkimsm. Mr Mosley asked the hoys’ fathers to keep a strict eye on them in the future. Mrs T. E. Taylor, J.P., was on the Bench with the Magistrate. STOLE HEADLAMP.

“I don't know whaf made me take, it,” said a fifteen-year-old hoy charged with the theft of a bicycle headlamp. “Goodness, gracious me, ’ was the 'Magistrate’s perplexed answer. The Magistrate ; Are you in work? The boy; No, sir; l left school a year ago. What standard did you pass?—Standard Three, “Three?” echoed the Magistrate in surprise. Mr Jones, of the Child Welfare Department. said that the boy had left school when in 'Standard HI. The charge was adjourned for a yeai, so that the boy could he under supervision.