A Frightful Case

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 271, 17 April 1914, Page 5

A Frightful Case

STEP-CHILDREN'S TREATMENT U AIRED IN COURT. ,; GUARDIAN WORSE THAN AN ,-; ANIMAL. \ By Telegraph—Press Association. Ohristchurch, Lost Night. ' -,. Fivo small children, two gtria and'''j three bovs, were paraded before lfo.-' 11. W. Bishop, S.M., at a sitting of the > Juvenile Court this afternoon, on <jf', charge of,not being under proper control. The girls were aged IS and \t ■ years, and the boys 11, 10 and 8 years. '^ The story told by Chief-Beteativ*-, Bishop, supplemented by statement* from (the children, alleged a terrible ~ state of affairs. The Chief Detect}** ; stated that the children wore living with-;-their step-parents. Both had been mar*. -' riod three times, and the family before. the Court were by second wife of -' their stepfather. The' stepfather ihad , been committed for trial on a charge •• of having carnal knowledge with the-' eldest girl, who was 13 years of age. Tlie Magistrate: How long has thi*:' been going on? The Chief Detective: For about three ,: years. '•■!' In reply to the Magistrate, the Chief ' Detective stated that the matter-bad', only recently been reported to the po- '; lice, otherwise it would have been put * ', stop to long ago. On the last occaekm I when the affair was said to have takan ■'[ place the second girl asked Jhe «tep-- " mother that the, police shouß be in* formed, and later that waa done. ~ Tlie Magistrate: It's an awful busi- "J ness. (To the gill): Why didn't report it before? • \ Tlie girl replied that she was not old enough then to know what to do. c'd The second girl, a child of elevtstyS then volunteered the information 'AhM{9 she had also been assaulted. tj& The Magistrate: The man .must be OB . animal. *• The girl: He's worse than that! The Magistrate: It's an awful history. _ Upon my word, it's something frightful that such things can happen. It's s great pity that the thing has been going on for the last two years without V someone getting information about it. ■ The Magistrate committed the child*- ' rcn to the Christchurch Receiving Home. ■ ,*