Children Left In House

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32381, 21 August 1970, Page 26

Children Left In House

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Aug. 20. . Six children aged between two and 10 were left in a Taranaki house for four days with only half a pumpkin and a portion of eel, the Papakura Magistrate’s Court was told by the police today.

Before Mr D. I. N. McLean, S.M., were Tikiki Peter Nga-Waironga-Ngatai, a workman, and Dorothy NgawairongaNgatai, a housewife, who pleaded guilty to a charge that between March 27 and March 29, at Tataramaika, they wilfully neglected six children in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering to the children. Mr P. Sookes appeared for the accused.

Senior-Sergeant M. K. Hug: gard said that at 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, a complaint was made to a constable in Okato, Taranaki, that six children had been left in a house at the Patua dairy factory since Friday, March 27.

The parents were said to have left the district without making provision for the care or supervision of the children. The constable, on arrival at the house, found the six children huddled on a mat: tress on the floor of the front bedroom. The light in the room was not working and the children were cold and hungry. It was found that the parents had left early on the morning of Friday, March 27, and had gone to Hawera.. . An inspection of the cupboards revealed half a pumpkin, and there was a portion of eel in the refrigerator. This was the only food in the house.

The children had had an egg each on the Saturday and a woman who had heard of their plight called on Sunday morning to give them some baked beans.

. Inquiries showed that the parents had called at the house for a short time on Monday, March 30, and then left for an unknown district On April 4, the police learnt that the parents had gone to Mercer. Senior-Sergeant Huggard said that the children, aged two, five, six,-seven, eight and 10, were placed in the care of the Child Welfare Division at New Plymouth. Neither of the parents had inquired about the welfare or whereabouts of the children.

Both parents were addicted to liquor, and the police had trouble finding them. A warrant had to be issued for their arrest because they had no fixed abode. The Magistrate remanded both until next Thursday for a probation report and sentence. After counsel told the Cburt that Mrs NgawairongaNgatai’s step-brother had agreed to guarantee that the pair would be present next week the Magistrate allowed bail.