CRUELTY TO CHILDREN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1756, 6 September 1917, Page 3

CRUELTY TO CHILDREN.

A HORRIBLE CASE. WOMAN SENT TO PRISON. An elderly woman, named Bessie S. Oldham, was charged in the Auckland Police Court on Tuesday with ill-treating three children in a manner likely to he injurious to their health. When the evidence in respect of two of the children was hoard in July, it was stated that accused had answered 20 advertisements regarding adopting children, and the two children were committed to an industrial school as being not under proper control. With regard to the third child, aged 21 years, evidence was given hy a neighbour that accused locked the child in a lavatory for nearly three hours; that (he child was severely thrashed on one occasion, and that it was generally neglected.Since the child had been in other care it had improved- immensely. A woman who had stayed in the accused's house for a week said the house resembled a marine store. It was very dirty, and accused was under the inlluence of liquor nearly all the lime. A witness, who now has charge of the child, said when she received it it seemed frightened and tlinched when spoken to. Mr Matthews, instructed by Mr J. Beale, said drink Was the cause of the trouble, and asked for leniency. Chief-Detective McMahon said that judging by the number of advertisements dealing with the apoption of children (hat accused had, answered, she was evidently on a dangerous track, and if the police had not investigated the numerous complaints it was hard to say what the results to t.he children might have been. The evidence, however, showed that the police had been just in and three children had been saved. Possibly His Worship might feel inclined to do something to defer others from embarking in a similar business. Even since the case was Jirsl heard, he, the speaker, had seen (lie accused hanging about cab-stands talking to soldiers, and under the inlluence of dijink. The magistrate said it was one of the worst eases he had had before him, and the conditions under .which the children lived were most repellant. It was a horrible ease, and he -was glad the neighbours had protested. Unfortunately the maximum term was throe months’ imprisonment, but accused was going to get every hour of it.