TREATMENT OF CHILDREN

Evening Star, Issue 22629, 22 April 1937, Page 10

TREATMENT OF CHILDREN

CHARGES AGAINST FOSTERMOTHER SEVERE BEATINGS ALLEGED Three charges of wilfully ill-treating children placed in her care were preferred against Clara Augusta Rosina Beatrice Jane (58), a married woman, in the Police Court this morning. The charges related to William Alexander Kinnaird (11 years), David Kinnaird (three), and John Easton Kinnaird (nine), and it was alleged that they were beaten in such a manner as to cause them unnecessary suffering. Mr G. T. Baylee represented the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Dr W. Evans described- the condition of the boys when they were brought to him. William had a recent bruise 7Jin long and lin wide on his right shoulder blade. There were three recent bruises over* the _ left shoulder about the size of a florin, and three about the size of half a crown on his right thigh. John hadl a bruise on his shoulder IJin long and lin wide. The young boy had an oblique bruising on his buttocks. The injuries to the children could have been made by the strap (produced), except the smaller bruises mentioned, which were more likely to have come from finger pressure when the children were being held.

Senior-sergeant Packer: Was this reasonable punishment as a correction? —ln the case of William Kinnaird, who said he was strapped with his clothes on, there was considerable force applied, perhaps more than was intended. There must have been considerable force to have produced the discolouration in the bruised area. In the case of John Kinnaird, I cannot offer an opinion. As regards the child of three years, the punishment was excessive. To Mr Baylee, Dr Evans explained that a bruise was caused by damage to the blood vessels close to the skin and the tissues underneath. The blood vessels were fractured by the force of impact, and the blood escaped into underlying tissues. Some people bruised more easily than others in certain parts of the body. Mr Baylee: Is it possible for some people, to raise a bruise by sucking in the forearm?—Yes, if they have good teeth. Senior-sergeant Packer: May I point out that the thrashings and bruising are admitted by the defendant? . Cuthbert Parr, head master of the North-east Valley School, said that Williams and John Easton Kinnaird were pupils there. They were ordinary boys, and there had been no serious trouble with them. _ They were rather untidy in their written work. Mentally they were normal, and physically, as far as their home circumstances would allow, they appeared to have been well cared for.

To Mr (Baylee, witness said that he came into contact with_ the children frequently. Their physical condition was average. Mr Bailee said he would suggest that the children were uncontrollable in some respects. Mr Parr said that they had been dealt with for quite trifling offences, such as any child might commit. Sergeant Johnsen, who was present when the children were examined by the doctor, said that he. subsequently interviewed the defendant, 'who ' was very frank, and'admitted that; she had thrashed the children.- In a statement she said that she had three of a family herself, all of whom were grown up and married. She was a licensed foster parent, and had been taking children for six years. The Kinnaird children were boarded with her, and she found them practically unmanageable. They were very dirty in their habits, and lied and thieved, and she thrashed them (not harshly, she considered) for childish _ offences. She considered the punishment deserved. Mrs Wilhemina Kinnaird, the mother of the children, asid that she was ordered into hospital, and arrangements were made by Mr Dunkley to have them boarded out, her husband being on relief work. She returned home in March, and when the children came home again she noticed the bruises on them. While the children were at home before these incidents occurred they were just high-spirited, and she could get the truth out of them without bother.

To' Mr Baylee Mrs Kinnaird said that the children had been with Mrs Jane before, and had been quite well treated. She was paying £1 a week for six children. She did not expect them to be specially well treated at that price, but, on the other hand, she did not expect them to be “ hammered.” Mrs Kinnaird admitted, that she had used a strap on the children herself. Her husband had threatened to use his belt on them often, and he might have used it. They had run away from Mrs Jane’s place before, and he spoke of using the belt and buckle on them.

Constable Harris gave evidence concerning the bruises on the children. Their nome was that of an ordinary working man, and they appeared to be normal and well-behaved. _ He had never received any complaints as to thieving by them. William Kinnaird, the oldest boy, said that two days before they _ returned home Mrs Jane gave David a hiding for doing a certain thing. After he was washed he got another hiding. Mrs Jane had him on the floor with his head between her legs. William himself was thrashed the morning they came hom for not behaving himself in bed. He was at the sink washing dishes when she came out and hit him with the strap. He Mid not know what John was thrashed for. William said that he ran away from the place because she hit Manna, the baby. John went with him, and they ran home to their father, who took them to Mr Dubkley, the latter taking them back to Mrs Jane. William thought they had behaved all right. They did not steal anything from Mrs Jane, but John took something from a shop in town. When his father had strapped him before he only felt it for a minute after. When Mrs Jane strapped him ho felt sore' for a day aft el* David Kinnaird, the father, said that both John and William ran down to the Gardens, where he was working, to complain about Mrs Jane hitting them. When they finally came home Kinnaird. went to the police straight away. As to his own threats to use the buckle end of a belt on them, that was merely to frighten them. Mr Baylee submitted that there was no case to answer. Certain parts of the body were more susceptible to bruising than other parts of the body, particularly in children of 10 years. The dividing line between sufficient punishment (as was permitted) that would result in marking and that winch would not was very thin. Mrs Jane had been exasperated by the conduct of these children, who had behaved in a hlthy manner, torn caps off in the bathroom, flooded the 'pantry, and put sand in the drains. His Worship did nob think thatthere was evidence bo jusMij «. .charge 4#

regards the second boy, but he would certainly hold that a pnma facie caso had been established as regards tho ot Mr- S Baylee added that the two elder boys went to their father complaining of severe ill-treatment, and yet he sen* them back. The truth of the matte* waa that he wanted to get fid of then* ' for the time being. Their behaviour was, not that of normal children, *n« Mrs Jan® genuinely wanted to get rid Examining the strap, His. Worship remarked that it, established a prims;. facie case. It would ,he cruel to use such a strap on a child of three. Mr Baylee: You are prejudging the case. I suggest that there are straps like that in dozens of homes in Dunedin. . For the defence Benjamin James Tate said he lived at Mrs Jane’s house while the Kinnaird children were therqj and thought they were well treated. The hearing wiH ,bo resumed tq morrow afternoon*