A NEGLECTED FAMILY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2635, 31 August 1881, Page 2

A NEGLECTED FAMILY.

The following is a description of the condition of the Hall family, one of whom recently murdered a Chinese hoy near Ballarat : At the Searsdale Police Court the Hall children —James, aged 14 ; William, aged U ; Sarah Ann, aged 12 ; and Letitia, aged 7 years—were, brought up as neglected children, under the loth clause of subsection 2 of the Act, for having no visible means of support. The evidence showed (he father to he thoroughly indifferent to the happiness of his children ever since the death of the mother, tour years ago. Senior-constable Crampton said that when lie went to the house to make inquiries respecting the murder of the little Chinese boy, he found the eldest girl in the house crouching over a small (ire, with only a chemise on her hack and a piece of thin cadco pinned to it covering her loins. The girls and the youngest boy had neither bed nor bedding of aii} r description, all three having to sleep on the bare lloor. The roof was damaged and leaking—the rain fell on them during every shower. The father said he was fossicking, and for mouths had only made from 4s to 5s per week. The Pencil, which consisted of Messrs Jones and Young, seemed reluctant to send the children to the Industrial Schools, thinking (he Act did not provide for children with a father well able to earn sullicicnfc for their support, but |

ultimately the boys were committed for two and six years to the Sundry schools and the girls were committed for four and seven years to Royal-park Institution. The fa ther will have to appear on the next Court day to show cause why he should not contribute to their maintenance.