“NO MORAL VICE.”

Shannon News, 24 August 1926, Page 2

“NO MORAL VICE.”

YOUNG DOMESTIC’S TROUBLE.

THEFT OF WEARING APPAREL. CRAZE FOR DANCING/ Phoebe Maria Welch Ingram, a domestic of seventeen, left her home iii sunny Nelson because- of her father’s disapproval of her craze for dancing. She drifted into Wellington two months ago, and since, her principal occupations, it w>oiuld seem, have been those of frequenting dance halls, keeping company with a woman of a bad moral character, and removing articles of clothing from various places at which she had been staying. Her bent in this direction led* her to the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, where she was called upon to answer four charges in respect to the theft of wearing apparel to the total value of approximately £32. Cliief-Detective Ward presented th e facts of the case, and explained that this was not Phoebe’s first appearance before the court. Mr J. Scott appealed for the leniency of probation for the accused—6he was just at an age when she would be responsive to such treatment. Her father, who had quarrelled with her concerning her dancing, said that there was no moral vice in the girl, and he was prepared to take her hack home and look > after her. On the recommendation of the probation officer, the accused was admitted to two years’ probation, a condition of her release being that she must return to her home, and stay there. The magistrate reminded the girl that the charges were serious, and she need not expect further leniency if she appeared before the court again. She was also ordered to pay £4 6s 6d, the amount of depreciation caused to the articles stolen.