YOUNG GIRLS IN TROUBLE

Evening Star, Issue 22228, 4 January 1936, Page 10

YOUNG GIRLS IN TROUBLE

REBELS AGAINST PARENTAL CONTROL FOUR SENT TO BORSTAL SHARP COMMENT BY POLICE “ There are a number of young girls about this city who will also have to be brought in as a result of their conduct,” declared Senior-sergeant Packer in the Police Court this morning, when four girls were being, sentenced for various offences. “ They have certainly been led astray by more elderly women, but have got completely out of control. They frequent the streets at all hours and associate with undesirable persons, and the city will bo well rid of them.” . PARENTS DEFIED. The first case heard was one in which Hazel M'Dowall (18) and Phyllis Winifred Petrie (17) were charged with stealing clothe': (of a total value of £3 8s 3d) from Elizabeth Edna May M‘Connell. The Senior Sergeant told the court that these girls left the Salvation Army Home, where they had been staying; and went to a boarding house in Cumberland street," From there they went on to the complainant’s house, _ and the next morning decamped with her clothes. All these clothes had been recovered with the exception of an underskirt, M'Dowall had been a perfect nuisance for a long time. She was the worse for liquor when she was brought into the station. In fact, she was one of the worst types about the city. Petrie had got completely out of control. Her parents could do nothing with her, and she had caused no end of trouble in the home. M'Dowall: I wasn’t drunk when 1 was brought in here. Petrie’s father appeared and told the court that he could do nothing with her. He said he had to thrash her recently, and that might have been the cause of this break. He thought that detention with stiff supervision would do her good. M'Dowall: We only took a loan of the clothes until w.e got something nice to wear. t The matron of the . Army Home 'said that they had done their best to entertain the girls at the home on Christmas Eve, and allowed them to stay up untif* 12.30 a.ift. After this, however, they broke open a window with a gardener’s tool and went out. One returned at--3 a.m. and the other at 4.30 a.m. The magistrate (Mr H. W. Bundle! directed that both should be detained in the Borstal institution at Point Halswell for a period not exceeding 12 months, YOUTHFUL PRISON ESCAPEE. A defiant attitude was adopted by Maida Ethel Frew (17), who _ was Charged with being an incorrigible rogue, in. that she escaped from the Dunedin prison, and with committing a breach of the terms of her release on probation. Chief-detective Young stated that this young girl presented another, difficult case. In April of last year she was charged with being an idle and disorderly person. She had got out of control and was sleeping out at nights. That charge was adjourned for three months on condition that she remained in the Army Home. Frew apparently complied with this, and the charge was then withdrawn by the police. She appeared again on December 11 to answer three charges of theft (two of these charges referring to thefts of watches from the baths), and was then admitted to probation for two years. One of the terms of that order was that she should live at her home. However, she cleared out on i Tuesday, December 24, and did not return until the Friday following. She left again shortly after, and took with her a valuable watch, worth about £SO. Nothing could be done with her, and she was arrested and remanded in custody until this morning. On the evening of the day on which she was remanded she was in the corridor of the prison, when the matron who was with her was called "away for a moment. She left her keys in a position where Frew could get hold of them, and in that time the latter took them and managed to get through the station courtyard and then over a fence. She bolted towards North Dunedin, but enjoyed only a short period'of liberty, from 8 p.m, to about 11 p.m., when she was rearrested by a constable in Union street. She was quite out of control, and the probation officer could do nothing with her. Frew was shown a probation report, and immediately retorted: That’s a lie. The Magistrate: You have,not been at your home. How have you been living? , -r Frew: The same as anyone else. 1 left home because I wasn’t wanted. The Magistrate: You are only 17, and I don’t want to send you to gaol. Frew: I don’t want to stay in Dunedin—l want to get out of this town! Adjutant Coombs: If she had any desire to go straight we could help her, but she won’t show any such intention. Frew (petulantly): I don’t want to stay in this gaol! I’m sick of it! And I’m not going to any more Army homes —-I’ve had enough of them! The Magistrate directed that Frew should be detained at Point Halswell with the others for a period not exceeding 12 months. Chief-detective Young informed the court that be was not pressing the charge of escaping from custody. He did hot wish to see such a young girl branded with a criminal list. The Magistrate concurred, and this charge was accordingly withdrawn. IDLE AND DISORDERLY. Aimee Leona Tipu (24! admitted a charge of being an idle and _ disorderly person, in that she had insufficient lawful means of support. The Senior Sergeant explained that Tipu was another of the girls who, had been in the Army Home for a period, but had not reformed. She cleared out from there with another girl. Her conduct had not been good. She was the mother of three illegitimate children, and had left the father to look after them. It seemed that discipline was the only thing for her. The Senior Sergeant added that all these girls were anxious to get to Point Halswell. He did not know why. . , Tipu received a similar sentence, i