LEGAL LASH.

NZ Truth, Issue 91, 16 March 1907, Page 6

LEGAL LASH.

A short, boisterous, legal bieeze rattled the windows of the Christchurch Magistrate's Court t'other morning. It happened during; a sitting of the Juvenile Court. The Children's Aid Society are closing their little show, and four hoys were charged with having no means of subsistence, the idea being to get them sent to Homes. Lawyer Lane appeared for the Charitable Aid Board, and protested against two, of them being so dealt with ; he asked that they be sent to their parents. Now, the two kiddies mentioned happen to be illegitimates ; their mothers gave them birth before marrying heir parent husbands. It is easy to cc that if they were returned home they would be led a hell of a life, and would be neglected and treated as an incubus. The police report stated as much, and Bishop, S.M., agreed. It would mean great misery for the lads, who would possibly be ruined bod^ and soul. They wouldn't be tenderly or affectionately murtured and reared : quite the reverse would be the case. Conseiq;uentlv Lane's application was declined with great emphasis. Then the Here-ford-street lawyer asked, on behalf of the Board, that the boys be dealt with under section 3 of the Industriral Schools Act instead of section 1. Then followed a violent explosion, which was embellished with scenery and effects. Bishop got his back up, and there was no polite persiflage between himself and counsel. Section 3 takes the financial responsibility off Charitable Aid Boards, and the S.M. wanted to know why these children shouldn't be charged on the fates. He spoke m a high key, Lane tried to cap it and failed ; a wild and windy argument followed, the molten lead of heated eloquence flooded the court, and rose to the clerk's desk ; there was .some remarks about getting scottv. and another about getting his rag out, or something like that, and eventually a scratchi ne; pen denoted the settlement of the dispute. The exalted impudence of the Charitable Aid Board m trying to evade roonetarv responsibility was duly noted, and three of the boys were committed to a local Home and the other sent to the Weraroa Training Farm, Levin.