AN AMAZING MOTHER.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 224, 20 September 1924, Page 19

AN AMAZING MOTHER.

APPALLING SORDIDNESS. Amazing allegations were made against a mother at Leamington Police Court, when Margaret Wheeler was sentenced to one month's Imprisonment for being drunk whlle In charge of a child, and also with neglecting her four children, aged twelve, ten and three years, and three months respectively. It was stated that the woman waa very drunk, and was dancing round a barrelorgan ln Regent Street, whilst holding the baby in her arms. It was raining at the time, and the child was drenched to the skin. Police Constable Williams said he had been repeatedly called to the house where the woman lived- with a man named Bye. Hearing shouts of "Murder," he went tn and found her fighting with the man. He separated them, and on coming out heard a crash. On returning be saw the room in flames, the mother of the woman saying that prisoner ha_- thrown a lighted "lamp at her. He extinguished the flames with his cape, but he had to kick the lan-p into the street. Meanwhile the baby was lying on the table. An Inspector of the S.P.C.C. said the family was living under appalling conditions, and he asked for the custody of the younger children. The Ministry of Pensions had undertaken to take charge of the two elder ones. The Bench agreed to this.