POOR DRUDGE OF A KITCHEN

NZ Truth, Issue 1239, 29 August 1929, Page 1

POOR DRUDGE OF A KITCHEN

Mystery of Domestic Who Was 111-treated fey Mistress PUBLIC INTEREST JN TRUTH'S " STORY

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special- Auckland Representative)

'■Ethel"— -just a christian name endowed on numerous children by numerous fond parents— -btit of many women who bear the name there are few with a sadder life history than the poor elderly woman, now safe m the sheltering arms of the Salvation Army, m Auckland. *>'• ONLY a poor old servant, for many years harshly treated by. her mis-

.tress, she was just "Ethel" to everyone who ' knew her. When asked by the kindly inspectoress of. the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, and a police officer if she could V throw" some.light on the mystery that ■ hung over . her life, she looked painfully a,t a. loss a!nd shook her head.' V / •" Ay.- y How the pathetic object; of their' in-, vestigatipns, crippled m both body and mind, was found by the officers; how her poor old body showed signs of haying been beaten; how her mistress, Mrs. Bertha; Annie Owen;' an ;el'leriy woman living with her b6d-ridden husband at Mount Eden, was bx-bugnt to justice by the 'Society, is a story, that this paper has already toldyin a recent issue. . Through-, the publicity given to the case of brutality by this paper, it would seem that interest; m thecircumstances of "Ethel-h as been aroused iri niany ; people who wish to see her. pathetj.c.'si_4atiorj altered, y t

Already; from South Dunedin, arid also from Napier, have..c.ome communications from- people who, haying read m "Truth" of the helpless old woman's plight, wish to state what they know of: her. - --.--'■ V -A .'-.'• ' ' "Seeing the : sufferings of a poor servant woman m your papery I was so upset that I 'thought Imust let you know 'tlh'at her. name is Ethel ; ," 'writes correspondent from DunedinV .'^ '." '-■ 7 .•.•"'-'■'-;.■' V'The lutter continues: "V '...- I know '-.lie^i and I thought it was.nothing ''•; but "tight ;to let you know« her name.; . '' Xv".-' j "l'was\Vso pleased to see the kihdness W Mrs. Molesworth (So- . ciety ; ihspVctpress) ? Major Gordon (Sa|vatioriY".Army) and Mr. Matthews (Sop-ety's solicitor) m protecting the\oobr. woman, and it is a blessing tuat there is such protection carrriVd'out." - It is likely Uhatymore will yet be heard of the |^.se of the little old woman wlio, Jiroughout the greater span of her un-iappy lif etime, has been jiothing.bulfci''BtheV , :..^e jerv»Jit T )