UNUSUAL OFFENCE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20302, 30 July 1931, Page 13

UNUSUAL OFFENCE.

MAORI WOMAN ADMITTED TO PROBATION.

VritßSS ASSOCIATION TIXEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, July 29. An unusual charge of failing to provide a seven months' old .child with th& necessaries of life, proper food, and medical attention, and eo causing its death, was preferred against Mina Thomas, a Maori woman, aged 19, in the Supreme Court. There was an alternative charge of wilfully neglecting the child in a manner likely to cause injury to its health. The offences were alleged to have been committed, at Ahipara last March and April. The district health nurse for Mangaliui, Amy Jewess, said she found a girl child, daughter of the accused, in a very wasted condition through neglect. ' Vfitness asked the mother why she had not procured help for the child. Witness fed the child herselt and saw the mother feed it, but she thought it was past medical attention. Accused was living in a small raupo whare, in which six children and three adults lived. Medical evidence was given that the child's wasted condition was due to starvation. The mother appeared to be rather helpless, and her mentality was below the average. Witness had never seen a child so emaciated. • A constable said he found the child practically a skeleton. Counsei said the child had been horn under starvation conditions, and had had practically no chance from the start. All the others in the whare were suffering from starvation. The jury found accused guilty or failing to provide medical attention, but brought in a strong recommendation to mercy on account of her low mentality. . His Honour said he had no douDt the main reason for the prosecution was that in the district from which accused came, native children were not being given the medical attention to which thev were entitled. It was hoped that this prosecution would bribe home to the minds of native mothers the duty of procuring Government medical assistance for their children. That was what the district nurse was for. His Honour admitted accused to probation for two years.