BABES IN A BAGNIO.

NZ Truth, Issue 70, 20 October 1906, Page 4

BABES IN A BAGNIO.

THE BEASTLY BARNETTS AND THEIR BAIRNS. A Child Given to the Maoris. A Man With Two Wives. The unsavory nature of a house m Upton Terrace, together with the even more noisome reputation of its male and female inmates were the reasons why, m Dr. McArthur's chamber at the S.M.s Court on Tuesday last, the police sought to have two children of tender age, yarned Jessie and Alice Barnett sent to the Receiving Home. The children are mere toddlers, one being 'l9 months old and the other three and a half years. The said .house 'is, or was, an assignation house of the lowest possible type and for some time .past the police have set their mark on it, having reoeived complaint after complaint from the more respectable residents of . the locality, of the dirty, degrading scenes daily enacted. Inspector Ellison recently visited the place, and the keeper, a woman named Maggie Barnett admitted that her den was what it w ; as alleged. There were children 1 running .about m the place, and from what s 'transpired during the hearing df the matter it seemed that one 01 the children, Jessie, had been given over to some 1 /; Maoris at Masterton, from whom the police had ordered its return. Just, as it were, to see fair-play," there was present during the proceedings a . , „ SHABBY GENTEEL, MICAWBER •■ WILKINS individual named Charles Bainett, who, when required to give Ins, name, sucscribed ■• himself as "Mister" Charles barnett. ! He is the husband of the woman- Barnett and father ot' Jessie, and his demeanor and attitude suggested bra^en-iaced impudence rather than shame for his dirty surroundings and child-tramcking. Constable Hetternan, who had accompanied Inspector Ellison on a visit to Barnett's bagnio iv September last gave the names of the inmates as Charles and Maggie Barnett and her children, Madge Williams and Mabel Smith, anil a Mrs Kelso. After . the Inspector's visit a promise was made that the house, would be conducted respectably m future by Barnett and his bride, "as a. 'boarding-house. The woman Wilrliams went to Masterton, and. Smithshifted to Nelson. However, said the constable, the house still bore the same reputation. On the previous Friday he visited the place and while there a sailorman came on -the scene ' and wanted Mrs Williams. Her sister answered the; door and having time to attire herself, the constable hazarded the opinion that she had been in 'bod.- Being invited m Heffernan found Mrs Williams with a man. Loth being blind drunk. Both the children were m the house** There was another child named Florence Barnett, but she was licensed out. Inspector Ellison, who conducted the prosecution then called "Mister" Barnett, who said that' up till 13 weeks ago, he. had worked five solid years at the Royal Oak Hotel looking after the" boilers. Since then he said, m a lordly,* way, he had worked at gardening and such like. The' ' house' was a two storied one arid he occupied a room on the top, Mrs Williams occupied one room downstairs as did Mrs Barnett. Inspector Ellison : Who besides her? —I could not tell. ', " ANY MEN ?-ONLY MYSELF. "Mister" Barnett scornfully re--pudiated the suggestion that he knew two men named Phillips and. Wiseman, whom the police alleged visited the house. He admitted knowing Mabel Smith, but his mind was a blank as far as Mabel's occupation was concerned. Mrs : Williams was a nurse, he said ; but he did not know when she had nursed last. Inspector Ellison : Don't you know that men aro m the habit of visiting , her?~No. ■Have you frequently heard voices of men with her ?— No the only,, voices I have heard are those of policemen. When it was put- to him whether ox. not the house was a brothels Barnett carefully side-sieppeu and explained that he went away m tho ' morning 'and returned m the evening and looked after the children, as Mr^" Barnett was m the hospital,- -• Inspector Ellison : Don't you know that it is an assignation house ?— I~ do not know that it is. Admitting that it was a delicate question the Inspector next sought to ascertain why "Mister Bar-" nett did not occupy the same room as his wife and was told m reply, "That is my business. "- "Such an answer," the Inspectorsaid, "is just what I wanted." Barnett next, explained that he had been married over three yea^s to Mrs Barnett, and was the father' 'of Jessie only. Regarding the child Jessie, whohad been given to the Mastertojb." Maoris, Barnett shunted the respond sibility on to Mrs Batnett, who wass still m the hospital. "Mister 1 " Barnett, however, went to some nains to explain that no agreement had been drawn up, and that he had Sot signed one. The child had bien bttiiieht back by the woman Williams, on Monday. j Inspector Ellison : Is Mrs Barnett your only wife ; or have you another one living ?— 7 MY FIRST WIFE IS ALIVE ■ : as far as I know ; but I have riot seen her for 15 years. I Inspector Ellison : Then she is tiofe of much use to you ! J ' % The Inspector said that he Had more evidence if required, but Dr. McArthur needed no more and orderl ed the children to be sent to the Receiving Home and further ordered. Barnett, who all of a sudden displayed a tender solicitude for tha welfare of his "chee-ild," to pay 7s 6d a week for her support. Barnett .• Is she going there for good ? - v „; Dr. McArthur : I hope it is not, for evil. As a parting shot, Inspector Ellison told Barnett that if he did not cease running the bagino he would" haul him before the Court, Barnett however, m his lordly way, assured all and sundry that his path m future would be brighter and clean**