NAUGHTY NELLIE.

NZ Truth, Issue 151, 9 May 1908, Page 6

NAUGHTY NELLIE.

Prefers Gaol to a "Hfome."

1 Nellie Goodchild is something, of a'prob- | lem for the Christchurch^ police. She '■ knocks about the streets m a reproachful ; manner and frequents the slum quarters ■ when not otherwise occupied, and behaves • m such a manner as to merit a charge of i "idle and disorderly." Missioner Smaill ■ suspected that the woman was not alto--1 gether vicious and spoke to Magistrate Bishop to such effect that Nellie rwas sent • to the. Samaritan Home for a week ,on ■ trial: The. lady was quite" pleased at the prospect, and intimated- to the Bench that she would see how she liked it. It was believed that Nellie was a shingle short, otherwise she would have expressed no joy at residence within the grim walls of the Home. Miss Goodchild's an< ticipations of a beatific existence m the . institution were not realised, and she veni ted her displeasure on the management s when asked to confirm to the rules of ■ the Home. She rebelled strenuously a- ■ gainst the irksome conditions imposed, , and saw the end of her seven days' prot bation with intense joy. {.Charged once . more before the Magistrate's Court, Ar- ■ biter Day accepted her cheerful plea of i guilty to the charge of having no lawful s means of support, but looked dubious. A • highly respectable brother of Nellie gave J evidence that his sister wasn't altogether J right mentally, and she kept away from s her family to a discouraging extent. It • was mentioned that the medico who ■ looks after these matters for the police, • had refused to give a lunacy certificate, i and 1 THE CASE PRESENTED PUZZLING FEATURES "Are you willing to stay m the Home ?" . asked 'his Worship. "No," replied Nell V- and tye rs^nosyllable had a dull sound about it, like the 5?& y: : ' ' MA woman's body thrown - v #■ .' r '■&■■■ ™&5 two thousand feet. '% e nd you to gaol," : y^l^sp there," re- .. i ' : ?^sk__\wte}£ s - There';

choice by women of life m Cleary's hell m preference to a term m the brutal rescue homes. Women who have tasted both frequently reject the Salvarmy sweating factory and the Samaritan Home m favor of a term m Lyttelton Inferno. The pious organisation has an unfailing supply of cheap labor from the police court, and too often rejects the physically unfit as a profitless spec. With public subscriptions, Government subsidy, and wageless slaves, the rescue institution has a big pull over private enterprise and knecks it out m one act, particularly iD the laundry business, where the only force that can stand up against the factory run m the Maker's name is the Chow, who opposes sweating with sweating. But to return to Nellie : Her choice of gaol flabbergasted the court, and moral suasion was brought to bear by various persons. Finally, it was understood she would give the Samaritan Home another trial, and she was accardingly sentenced . to three months' imprisonment, the warrant to remain m abeyance during her residence m the terrorsome institution.