GIRL GROSSLY ILL-TREAUED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 215, 20 December 1910, Page 5

GIRL GROSSLY ILL-TREAUED

A CHRISTCHURCH SCANDAL. , a . By Telegraph.—Pre»s Ansooi«t)on. Christchurch, December 17. A little child named Eileen Haines figured in the Juvenile Court this morning on a charge of not being under proper control. It appeared that Herbert Haines and his wife, who is licensed under the Infants Act, had adopted the child, and complaints had been made by neighbors at New Brighton and others concerning the cruel treatment which the child received. Very volubly both husband and wife denied the allegations. They were fond of the child, and only tried to do their best for her. Their, neighbors did not like them, and so on. At the magistrate's request Detective Kennedy was sworn, and stated that the woman had admitted making the child eat half a chili as punishment for soma offence. She had given the child castor, oil frequently, but claimed that the child liked it. When the little girl had stolen some unripe fruit, the woman admitted that, by way of punishment, she had rubbed fruit in the child's teeth, but denied breaking a tooth. However, the detective had asserted himself that the woman had broken one of the child's teeth and had made its mouth bleed badly. <| Statements made by the neighbors alleged that the child was beaten unmercifully by both parents and led,an awful life. The woman hit it with' whatever lay handy and the husband also thrashed it. The magistrate said that he was going to place the child under proper control. Things like this could not be tolerated. He would commit the child to the Christchurch Receiving Home to be brought up in the faith of the Church of England. The legal parent would be ordered to pay for the chad's support at the rate of 7s 6d a suggestion of the magistrate McGrath undertook that steps would be taken to have the woman's license cancelled.