CHILD SLAVERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1921, Page 4

CHILD SLAVERY.

The ease recently heard at Christchurch, as the result of which the father of two girls was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment, cannot fail to arouse deep resentment that such inhumanity can find a place in New Zealand, where conditions of life are so much more favorable than in any other country. It appears that the accused had previously been before the Court and. ordered to come up for sentence on a similar charge when called upon, the children being at that time removed from his control, but two months later were returned to him, but his cruelty does not seeip. to have been checked by the leniency extended on that occasion. The -facts, as stated by the Magistrate when passing sentence recently on this brutal parent, were that the two elder girls, of 11 and 13 years of age respectively, had been worked on the farm from about 5.30 a.m. until 10 p.m. each day, and that When one girl fell asleep at the milking bail, her father struck her on the head with a stick. “To call on a girl of thirteen said the Magistrate, “to milk ten cows every night and morning, in addition to going to school and helping in the house, was altogether beyond the strength of the girl.” Few people will be found to dispute that opinion. Apparently the mother is in a dying condition, and the father incapable of doing much, but those facts do not mitigate the father’s cruelty and callousness, nor is his disposition likely to -be improved by being in prison. At times, indefinite and vague charges have -been made against the system, of overworking children, -but it is most rare for a culprit to be brought to book. Common humanity demands that young children shall be protected from slavery and brutality, and the sentence imposed in this case should foe a warning to those who are “sailing close to the wind.” The only excuse given 'by this unnatural husband and father for not getting help in the house was that he was sick of having people about the house. It is to be hoped that this sort of sickness will be cured effectually,. instead of being averted by making innocent children suffer. At any rate such a parent is not fit to be trusted with control over children, and it is well that the law provides a remedy.