INFANT ABANDONED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7853, 15 July 1911, Page 1

INFANT ABANDONED

THE MOTHER DEALT WITH SENTENCE OF THREE WEEKS' IMPRISONMENT. There were some unusual and painful circumstances connected with a case which cume before Mr W* G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when Ellen Briggs, a young woman, appeared for sentence on a charge that, on June SOth, at Island Bay, being a person having custody of a child under the ago of fourteen years, she wilfully exposed it in a manner likely to cause injury to its health. Tho accused was arrested at Taihapo and arrived in Wellington in custody’ on, Tuesday last. She pleaded guilty to tho charge on the following day. Air A. M. Saiek, who appeared on her behalf yesterday, pleaded for leniency. The case was one for tho pity, rather than tho censure, of the court. The accused, who Was a domestic servant, had tne child ,in a home in Wellington. Hearing that it was not being looked alter as it might bo sue untamed fourteen days' leave oi absence Horn her employer ana came to »»eiUugton lor tne pUiiibso of taxing the cluiu from tho nome, and.jdacmg u where it would be treated better. xne whole time she was in Wellington was spent in trying to nnd a suxta.ole home in which to piace tne child, -out everywhere sue went sue was mot with the same reply —that as the child was under ten months of age it couid not be taxon in. £>ne could not go back to her employment and keep her oituation with so young a child. in desperation sho went to the nome oi Compassion the day before she left, and about sunset left the child near one oi the entrances, where it could easily be seen. bhe did not then go away and abandon the infant but waited in the bushes tiU one of the sisters, attracted by its cry, camo down and took charge of it. Tho next day she leit for Taihape and took ux> her situation. In asking tho court to extend leniency counsel pointed out that though the child might have been abandoned, it was not neglected in any way. It was left at tho home in view of the sisters and a bundle of clothes and a bottle of milk were left with it. The accused was not yet twenty-one years of age. Her mother died when she was nine years old and she had not had the,, guiding hand to assist her that a young woman needed. Chief-Detective Broberg said the facts wore tlTdt about 8 p.m. on June 30th an old man. on his way from tho main building of the home, to a whore-in which he livea, saw a bundle behind the dairy. He examined it and lound the child. He then told the .'sisters, who immediately took charge of it. ‘ The police were communicated with/ and after some trouble found the, mother. The child had previously been with a woman in Newtownand was well looked after- The accused wah o'domestic servant, twenty years of age, and there was nothi g known against ner previous to this ofience. His Worship said that tinder tho Act tho accused was liable to three months' imprisonment for an offence of this class. Counsel had asked’ for leniency. It seemed to his Worship that even granting all counsel had said in her favour it was a wrong principle to extend leniency to those who abandoned children, especially when the weather conditions in the present case were taken into consideration. Ho did not propose to impose a heavy penalty, for accused had already had a severe lesson. A warning must fie given to persons who raight_ act in a similar manner when th'y - might take some other stems to have the child taken care of. If the accused had gone to the policy or the Salvation Army authorities thero was no doubt sho would havo obtained help or would havo been placed in possession of such information that she could havo provided for the child in another way. Defendant would be convicted and sentenced to twentyone day?' imprisonment. In. the Juvenile Court the cMld was committed to a receiving home.