DEATH OF FLORENCE MARKS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8359, 20 February 1913, Page 7

DEATH OF FLORENCE MARKS

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN SOCIOLOGY. Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 19. Tho death of the girl Florence Frances Marks, who, wiuio dressed in boy’s clothes, took poison on tne doorstep of the Salvation Army Home at P'arnell, and afterwards died m the hospital, was inquired into at tne Coroner’s Court this morning before tne coroner and a jury. , Dr Alexander Kinder stated that he was called to the Salvation Army Home. Parnell, on February 3rd, whore ho attended deceased and ordered her removal to the hospital. A post-mor-tem examination showed that death was due to poisoning by perchlonde or mercury. There were no signs of pregnancy. Dr Kinder said that the girl was evidently one of the weak-minded tyP© —a type for the handling of which there were no arrangements at the present .time. Such persons were not insane. Ad that one could say was that they were weak-minded. In Christchurch a movement was started for the establishment of a homo under Government control, where such girls could bo put under strict discipline and kept regularly &i> work. Tko mat-tor was *v very serious one, and tho doctor thought the jury should recommend tho Government to take such steps an would make it possible to place such cases under proper control. The coroner remarked that, in his opinion, the lunatic asylums would not have half tho number of patients if there woro homes for imbeciles as there were in England, At the present tune there was nothing recognised between insanity and a normal mental condition. There should bo a reformative institution for the care of those who, while not fit to ho at large, wore not proper subjects for an asylum. Dr Kinder said that the need for such a home as he suggested was much more urgent in the case of tho female sex than for tho other sex. The father of deceased said it was only fair to the girl to say that she was always a good Worker. She never shirked, and had a good name wherever she worked. Tho matron bore out this statement, and said she had heard the same thing from the girl’s workfellows. Such cases were very difficult to deal with, and individuals varied verv much. After they had been put on their feet some of them would work for twelve months, some six months, some three, and others would only work a few weeks before they went off again. If these girls were under proper control and received proper instruction and treatment a great deal could bo done for them. The jury found that death was caused by perchlonde of mercury, selfadministered while deceased was of unsound mind. They added a strong rider calling the attention of the Government to the importance of establishing an institution where imbecile girls could bo brought under proper control, ns suggested by Dr Kinder.