A TERRIBLE CASE.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 15 May 1919, Page 3

A TERRIBLE CASE.

A story unfolded at the Juvenile Court the other morning was described by a local paper- as ''■•pathetic.'1' It-was more than that. It was terrible, in tiiis Case eight children, rang-ing-fro HV a baby in arms to a lad of 16, were charged with not being under proper control. It appeared that the father went to the war—and was killed. The mother is a woman of feeble intellect, in fact a semi-imbecile,

and quite unfitted to look after her children who seem to have run wild, and, inheriting the mental weakness of the. mother they have all taken after her in that respect. And since her husband's death the unfortunate woman has given birth to an illegitimate child. She is practically not responsible for her actions. Well might Mr Jeffrey, Probation Officer, remark it was scandalous that there should be no official institution for the receptien of such women as this where they would be properly cared for and at. the same time be prevented from bringing into the world sub-normal children to be a burden to the State and a menace to society. " Ah," commented the presiding Magistrate, " we are unfortunately not far enough advanced to deal with that sort of thing yet." It is, indeed, unfortunate that we are not. But the time must come when these social problems will receive the attention they deserve, and when that time arrives we shall require fewer gaols, work-houses, reformatories, and " refuges." It is the '"unfit" who are chiefly responsible for the existence of these institutions, and for half the crime and disease in the world.