PARENT’S OBJECTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 156, 3 June 1937, Page 2

PARENT’S OBJECTION

CHILD ORDERED TO HOSPITAL. OFFICERS DEFIED. Per Press Association. MASTERTON, June 2. When Inspector Rossell. of Maeterton; attempted to have two children suffering from diphtheria removed from tiieir home to hospital he was badly received and reference was made to a' gun. The inspector communicated with the Health Department and an order was sent < requiring the children to be removed. This the inspector attempted to carry out, proceeding to the house with an ambula-nce and police. , The police kept in the background, and when the inspector presented the order it was snatched out of his hand and destroyed. There was some violence used also and the ambulance beiarer as well .as a constable were assaulted and the inspector came away without executing the order. _ These facts, which were related in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, resulted in the appearance of John Leslie-I) niton on a charge under section 84 of the Health Act, 1920, with obstructing an order for the removal of his child to the hospital. It was pointed out that the defendant had recently lost a child from diphtheria and two others had developed it. . Upon counsel for defendant being assured that the order was rightly made he said there was no defence to the charge, and after conferring with defendant intimated that lie would now give an undertaking that there would be no further obstruction. Counsel pleaded very extenuating circumstances and the case was adjourned until to-morrow morning.