THE WAIKATO GIRL-DOG STORY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2672, 12 August 1887, Page 2

THE WAIKATO GIRL-DOG STORY.

Tho Hamilton correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, under date of Saturday last, sends the following details of this singular but highly suspicious case, a few particulars of which appeared among our locals of yesterday : A sensational oook-and-bull story of a girl nine years of age. living with a Mrs' Shaw, wandering about the country with a dog chain padlocked round her waist, who had been tied to a tree at night for staying out late, had managed to escape, and was seeking refuge elsewhere, appears iu the local journal. Enquiries Sfroin the police prove the child's statement incorrect, and that she is of larrikin habits, and had been frequently in their hands for absconding from home. The following is the Btory as it appears in the Waikato Times of. Saturday last;-About half-past twelve o'clock yesterday a little girl about nine years old arrived at the residence of Captain M'Pherson, three miles beyond Hamilton. She - requested something .to eat. She said she had had nothing since the.previous day. Miss M'Pherson took her in and gave her a good dinner. She was dressed in a dark straw hat with red ribbon, macintosh cloak, good strong boots, and warm • stookings. Under the cloak she wore a plain wincey frock, but the strange part of the story is that round her waist sho wore a heavy dog chain, and on examination it was found to be securely padlocked round her body under her clothes. Captain McPherson supplied his daughter with all his keys, and she fortunately found: one to open-the lock} and relieved the childofthe chain. She'stated %at; she had been living with'a Mrs' Shaw,"

at ■Hamilton, and in consequence /OF her having stayed out too long,. MrS Shaw had chained her up to a tree fbi: ~ the night! The girl says that late in the evening, after Mrs Shaw had gone ' to bed, she managed to undo the chain from the tree, and going into the house, she possessed herself of ; Mrs ■ Shaw's macintosh, as she, was'very) cold. iJjHe then went to MTs-Missen,' whochipably gave hetibei,'btJt •' was unable for want of to undo the chain, Sh|y|pjpHbat her name was Agnes Gilstwi that'her : mother was dead, and thatier'fathb - was working at the tunneH :• •/Fearing/' that Mrs Shaw might discover 'her'r she left Mrs Missen's -house before.; that lady was up, and her way to Mrs Barker's on-theTama-here estate-(Graham's), and called at Captain McPherson's for refreshment as, abovo related., Whon:',;:;fcd, she toddled on hor way, carrying her chain withlier. "fhoro may bo;: : some part of hor story:, /but t\M undoubted fact remains thai in \the7 town \of Hamilton, Waikato, : ;a'nd notin Siberia-, 'a; little girl had ;a dog?, chain, weighing three poundgseourelypadlocked round hor waist,:'.under.her clothes.