PUNISHED BY DIPPING.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 August 1919, Page 3

PUNISHED BY DIPPING.

Al.l,fE'Glil) MANSIJACGHTER. Dl£A']‘lvl OF BOY CALDER. FA'l.‘fll£R STANDS HIS TRIAL. The death of the boy Trevor Calder, aged seven, on June llith last, after his admittance Tlo‘ ,the |Aucksl4and Hospital, sufi‘ering from the effects of exposure due to hiding in a shed a.llegedly to escape punishment by his father, came under review at the Supreme Court before Mr Justice Chapman last week. The father, Angus Calder (Ml- - Moody), was charged with’ manslaughter. 'There were additional charges that within two different periods accused wilfully illtreated his son, and caused him to be exposed -to unnecessary suffering or injury to his health. ' ‘The Crown Pr‘o‘s'ec‘utor, the Hon. J. A. Tole, K.C., in outlining the case, said that the boy Treor was the youngest of four children, the mother having died at his birth. It would be shown that the child was not tl'oatßd as well as the other chil-dren, the accused having said on one occasion, that when the boy was only four years of age, Calder discovered that he had 3. bad habit, and used to dip him into cold water in an effort ‘to cure him of it. The boy was later on sent to his graiidfatlier at Howick, and according to the grandfather, showed no signs of any bad habit. The boy returned to his father's home at Mangere about October of last year, and the dipping was again resorted to. The boy, said Mr Tole, had a morbid fear of cold water, and used to beg to be thrashed rather than be dipped. On several occasions he ran away, and in June last could not be found for some days. He was eventually found hiding in a shed on accused ’s property, with sores on his body and feet_ He contracted tetanus, and died some days later. Mr Tole stated that the dipping of the child undoubtedly caused him unneces. sary suffering, and he asserted that the a.dcuse‘d’s method of correction made him ‘responsible in law for his son’s i'eatll: ‘

Evidencq similar to that given in the I0x\:eI" Court was given. Rita A'Webb, hwo-usekeeper fol'Caulder at Oueh.ullga in 1916, said that Trevor was dipped in cold water at le-as-t eight times to her knowledge. She dcsciribed the child as clean, affect-ion-ate, and obedient.

Cross-examined, witness said she was not on bad terms with accused when she left his employ. She stated that the children were well fed and clothed. _

Frederick W. Beckett, 3. neighbaur of Caldcl"s at Onehunga,, g»a.ve evidence as to hearing sounds of splashing of water, and on one occasion hearing accused say in angry tone: “Now, will you do it again?” The child Trevor was as well dressed at the other children, bht seemed to‘ fear his fafher. I

Benjainin Beeby, grandfather of the child, said. that in 1918, after the child’s retuijn to Mangere, he went to isit ‘the «accused there. Accused told hil_n_t‘hat the child had run away :1 litt.le while before. Addressing the child ae_cuse<l said: “Cold water is the ti"lck_ for you.” The child we’ holding witness’s hand at the time. and he could feel him tremble, He asked Calder, “Don”: you think that is me severe 9.. punishment for the ellild‘?”‘Cal(ler madeno answer. Witness said that when the child was at Ho\\'iel<. with him he slioxverl no signs ':*i',ail_\,«' bad ‘habits. ‘ Ml‘ J. E. \VilsOn, S_.M.. put in the depositions taken at the inquest, and said that ~a‘ccused seemed e‘i'y grieved the death of his son. Evidence was also given by Frederick Raymond Calder, aged 11, and

§ Dinah Johnson, aunt of the child

Henry C. Jaifrey, headmaster ofthe ; Mangere school, said -the d0co:1scd(:l1i1d galways s«:enled to be r”osponsible for this own toilet, and wzis not as well fdrcssed as his bl-other:-s. When he ifirst went to school he seemed cowed, !and‘ would shrink from witness if he Emet him on the road. “The boy was fin abject -terror,” continued the witfnvess, “and I wrote to the father statiing that I thought he had had 21 bad ftime.” The father replied that the ,boy looked for sympathy. Witness said the child was obedient and made ‘good progress.

Evidence far tlie defence was heard on the following day, "when -accused was found guilty, and sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, with hard labour.