SLAVERY.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2195, 15 October 1913, Page 3

SLAVERY.

HORRIBLE CASE AT CHELTENHAM. "GRINDING THE FACES OF THE POOR. BURDENED ""WIDOW'S HEROIC STRUGGLE. REVELATIONS IN THE COURT. "This is absolutely the worst case I have come across since I have been Truant Inspector," said Mr C. J. D. Skinner, at the Court this morning, when referring to the case against Mrs Hight, a widow, of Cheltenham, ivho was charged Avith failing to send her'children to school. "The defendant," continued Mr Skinner, is not to blame." Mr Skinner then related the story of the heroic efforts of the widow, with a family of nine children, ranging in ago from 13.years to one year, and with an unborn child, to earn bread for her children. The case as described by Mr Skinner was certainly harrowing in its details, -and it is hoped that, for the sake of the good- name of the district, there is an adequate explanation of the position . "1 haA r e not brought the case in order to have the unfortunate woman punished," said Mr Skinner. "Far from.it. But it is my duty'to bring the case before tho Court to show than; such a state of things is existing. The woman is employed at Cheltenham by Mr Cyril Dormer, milking cows. The amount of work the woman has to do is impossible for her to overtake without tho help of her family. She ha« twelve cows to milk night and morning, Willie has seven, Nellie fh-e, and the owner milks liA-e. 'There, are-, IS calves 'to feed, and while Nellie, goes to school Willie avashes tho separator, feeds the pigs, and cleans out the cow-bails, j For all his work Mrs Hight is paid Is 3d per cow per week, with a maximum of 30s, with a house to live in. milk, and wood if she goes out and chops it herself. It is a pure case -if slavery, and therefore my. duty to lay it before tho Court to sec if sonicthing cannot be done to better this woman's lot. In addition to her work at the farm", sho has to come to Feilding once a week to g*;t charit-tible-aid rations. '1 don't ask for any penalty. The oldest child is 13 years of age, and is in the second standard. When there are no cows to milk, tho children attend school fairy well," Sergeant Bowdcn said lie did not know of so bad a case as this in the country. He was conversant with the. position, and the woman was a perfect heroine to try and earn her bread and keep her children the way she did. The woman was getting awidow's pension in respect of four children. Tho Magistrate said he thought it was a great pity the Avidow's pension Avas limited to four children. Here'was a caeo of a Avidow with nine children under If years of age. in regard to the charge, he would neither impose any penalty nor convict. Mr Skinner asked if anything could be done to'relieve the woman of her intolerable position. The Magistrate said he could not go into that, as he had not heard MiDormer's side of tho case. It, certainly seemed that advantage was being taken of tho woman's position.

Mr Skinner said the dairyman ought to be employing two men, at 25s a week each and "found," to do this work.