A STRANGE CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 94, 24 April 1891, Page 4

A STRANGE CASE.

CHILDREN UNABLE TO SPEAK,

A most remarkable case has been unearthed in the Mount Eden district in carrying out the compulsory clauses of the Education Acb. A few weeks ago Mr Bwington, in his capacity of Chairman of the Mount Eden School Committee, had his attention drawn to five children belonging to a resident, who appeared to be allowed to run about wild, evading the provisions of the Education Act. Ho communicated with Mr Small, the Truant Officer, who visited the parents. The father of the children proved to be an Englishman, and the possessor of a piece of ground, an orchard and a few cows. The children were of various ages, ranging from six to thirteen years, and they were running about absolutely wild. Mr Small subsequently called vipon the parents with a summons to- show why they had neglected to send these children to school. He asked the mother why sho had been guilty of such neglect, and sho replied that the reason was because they were unable to speak. She added that she expected they would be able to speak when they were about 18 or 19 years of ago. Mr Small was sceptical upon this point, and inclined to believe that the mother waa making excuses for neglecting herdu ty. He asked her to send for the children, and she did so. Mr Smalliaeked them, " Would you like to go to echool?" But the only reply ha could get from any of them was a sound resembling "ugg," but they chattered amongst themselves in a gibberish that he could make no sense of. Mr Small insisted on the children being sent to school forthwith, but the mother pleaded to be excused because the children had no boots. Mr Small declined to bo put; oti in any way, and told the mother that the children must go to school nexb day " boots or no boots." Mr Ewington having learned the facts of the case, wrote to Mr Hocking, head teacher of tho Mount Eden school, saying that these children would be placed under hie charge. He asked Mr Hosking to pay them special attention, and to see that the younger ones were not made fun of by scholars who were better educated. Mr Hosking received the children into the school on the Bbh inst., and placed them with the other children, but for some considerable time he was unable to teach them anything. Hβ contrived to interest them, however, by giving them picture books, and they are now entering with some degree of interest into the school work. They make poor attempts at) the pronunciation of even small words, but there is every hope that they will derive great benefit from school discipline and inetruction. .