ILL-TREATMENT OF BOY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27676, 4 June 1955, Page 10

ILL-TREATMENT OF BOY

PARENTS ADMITTED TO PROBATION SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF RELEASE (New Zealand Press Association) TAIHAPE, June 3. A story of inhuman treatment meted out to a frail five-year-old boy was told in the Taihape Magistrate’s Court to Mr S. S. Preston, S.M. Addressing the boy’s father, the Magistrate said: “Have you ever seen a child in worse condition than Tommy? I hope I never again see a child in such a shocking and deplorable state.

“He was dirty, his head was covered with ulcered sores, there was a deep contused wound at the base of his skull There was an open wound from the left eyebrow across his nose to his right cheek. “You can afford to come to Taihape on Friday and Saturday to go to an hotel and drink. Yet neither you nor your wife could afford Is 2d to bring Tommy to town for necessary medical care.”

Before the Court were Walter Frederick Black and his wife, who were charged with the ill-treatment and neglect of their five-year-old son. Evidence was given that the mother had beaten the boy with the buckle end of a belt. The father, a railway surfaceman, was charged with neglect. A charge of assault causing grievous bodily harm, laid against the mother, was amended to one of ill-treatment and neglect. “If I only had the two accused to consider I’d have no hesitation in sending them to prison,” said the Magistrate. “It is no use heavily fining them as that would only be depriving the children. To deal with the matter in a practical way i propose to convict them and to admit them to probation for three years. “Special conditions will be that they both take out and maintain a prohibition order and abstain from intoxi-

eating liquor for the term of probation. “They will see to it that the children are given every care and medical attention from a doctor or district nurse whenever required. “They will afford every facility to the child welfare officers or district nurse in any place they may desire to have access to their home, and to examine their infant children,” said the Magistrate.