OVERWORKED CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17889, 17 September 1921, Page 7

OVERWORKED CHILDREN.

FATHER SENT TO GAOL.

ONE MONTH'S IMPRISONMENT. [BY telegraph.— ASSOCIATION.] CHHISTCHUECH. Friday. John William Clark, a dairy farmer of Halsweli, was to-day sentenced to one month's imprisonment for cruelly illtreating a child. The defendant was before the Court on this charge in February, and was convicted and ordered tc come up for sentence when called upon, ™ his children were taken from him. They were restored to him in April, and the home was kept under surveillance. ' In evidence, Sister Edith Walton said she received a complaint on August 31 that the girl Nita was milking cows nipht and morning. • On September 1 witness visited the defendant's- farm at 430 p.m. and found Nita at the bails tying up a cow. The child said she had beeS' milking cows every day, night and morning, for three weeks, with the exception of-on e day. Witness waited until Ciark arrived at half-past five. Witness asked him why he did not have help in the house. He said he was sick of having people about the house. Witness then asked who was doing the work about the house, and he said "Mrs. Clark does not do very much. We all d? it." His tone seemed to indicate Indifference, so witness said, "Do yon know that your wife is a dying woman? I do not think you care two straws." He then became somewhat indignant. Mrs. Clark had asked witness to sDeak to her husband about obtaining help in the house, but not to let him know that she had said so, because he would kill her if he knew. The children had always I been poorly clad, and thinking Clark was lin financial difficulties, witness got a few things for them." The mother was too m to look after the children, and one of them was suffering very badly from inflammation of the eyes. It was evident that practically everything in the hoT»re was done by the children, because Clark was incapable of doing much himself. The magistrate said the two elder girls, one 11 years of age, and the other 13, had been worked on the farm from about 5.30 a-m. until 10 p.m. each day. When one sirl fell asleep at the milking bails,, her father struck her on the heafl with a stick. To call on a girl of 15 to milk 10 cows every night and morning, in* addition to going to school and "helping the house, was altogether beyond r the strength of the girl. Clark would be | sen! fenced to one month's imprifcOiiment.