SHORN OF HER TRESSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13948, 2 January 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

SHORN OF HER TRESSES.

ALLEGED EXTRAORDINARY ACTION OF REMAND HOME OFFICIALS. What would appear to be an extraordinary action on the part of the officials of a Girls' Remand Home, came to light recently. A few weeks ago a tall girl of sixteen, named Gertrude Andrews, was charged at the Marykbone Police Court before Mr. Plowden with stealing a skirt, and was sent to the Remand Home for seven days. At the time she had a wealth of beautiful, dark brown wavy hair, which was done up in rolls on either side of her head, and certainly added to her attractiveness. She was evidently proud of it, and its glossy and silky appearance attracted the attention of all who saw her in court. To the surprise of everybody, however, when she again appeared before the magistrate a few days after, only the fringe in front remained, the rest of the hair having been cropped off close to the head. It might at first be thought that this had been done for the purpose of cleanliness, but the fact that the hair was not removed until the day before she was to be brought to the court negatived that idea. The girl's story was that on a Friday afternoon a certain lady at the home took her downstairs and told her she was about to cut off her hair, as, instead of going to the court, she was to be taken straight away in the morning to a school at Liverpool. - She then cut the luxuriant tresses close off with clippers and scissors. The girl cried and asked if it would growagain while she was away? "Oh yes," said the lady, " it will soon grow again and will be better than ever. You don't look so bad." She was much distressed at the loss of her hair, but was somewhat consoled when she .was told 6he would be away about two years. On the Saturday morning, however, instead of going straightway to Liverpool, she was taken in the Remand Home clothes to the court, where she was bound* over under the Probation of Offenders Act to report herself to the missionary for three months.

The loss of the hair to the girl is a most serious matter, as for some months to come she will probably be unable to obtain a situation, nobody being likely to employ her in her present disfigured state.