NEGLECTED CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 246, 17 October 1893, Page 4

NEGLECTED CHILDREN.

I WnEN we decided to adopb a national system of education there was a very general opinion that in future no child in *ull possession of its faculties would be allowed to grow up without being taught to read and write. The days of affixing a mark in lieu of a signature in the marriage book were to pass away for ever. But it is quits clear that unloss vigorous efforts are made a number of young poople in this colony will reach the adulb age without acquiring even the rudimentary elemonts of education. There are, unfortunately, parents so brutaliaed as to bo uttorly indifferent to tho mental training of their offspring. We remember a ctuio within a few miles of this city that attracted some attention a few years ago, where tho children of a family wore brought up in a half savage state and ran away uttering uncouth sounds at the approach of strangers. A case occupied tho attention of the Resident Magistrate at Kaiupoi a few days ago that revealed a disgraceful state of things. A man named Patrick O'Connol was summoned for neglecting to send six of his children to school. From the evidence of the constablos ib appeared tho children were allowed to wandor aboub almost in a state of nudity. They were merely covered with a few rags and were usually in a filthy condition, Although they lived within a mile and a - half of a country school they were grow ing up in absolute ignorance of book, puper and pen. It has been said that every child born in the colony is worth £1,000 to the State. On that principle, O'Connel might bo considered a valuable member of society. Ho iuformed the Court that he was the father of nineteen children, and on being ask6d how many there wore now at homo, replied, " There are fourteen and myself and the old woman." The defendant, when asked whab he bad to cay for

himself, treated the Bench to his own peculiar views on education. He said thab he was of opinion that many people wore jusb as well off who had never been to school ab all, aud considered too much schooling was as bad as none ab all. He said he would have been willing to defer to popular feeling on this subject if he could have provided suitable clothing for his children, but unfortunately be had been victimised by sorno of "our law makers." He thought tho Government had got quito enough out of him one way and anobher withoub wanting him to send'his youngsters to school. The Residonb Magistrate stjd tho children must be sent, upon which O'Connel replied they would have to go naked. His Worship was scandalised ab this proposed display of Edenic innocence at the diatricb school, and, afber hesitafciner a little, suggested, with thab fertility of resource so characteristic of the male sex in such matters, thab the children should bo well cleaned and pub into cheap dresses made of flour bags. O'Connel proposed that before causing his family to adopt this light and airy costume bhe " old woman " should appear before the Court as she could give explanations which might assist bhe Bonch in coming to a dficision. Eventually, an ordor was made for the children to attend school, and ib was *uggesbed the defendant's neighbours should give contributions of clobhoß. The danger we have to apprehend from these instances of parental neglect is bhe growth of a criminal class in our midst, in the neighbouring colonies the evil is felt to a still greater extenb than in New Zealand.