Frail Femininity

NZ Truth, Issue 685, 27 July 1918, Page 6

Frail Femininity

$__ ■ • ■ - ■• | Tho Plight of the McFadyene \ (From "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.) Two deplorable illustrations of juvenile feminine depravity came under the notice of Mr. J. R. Batholomew, SM., m Dunedin last Friday, when Elizabeth Young McFadyen and Marr jory McFadyen, aged respectively 17 years and 20 years, were charged with being idle and disorderly persons, having insufficient lawful means of support. The accused were NATIVES OF INVERCARGILL, where their mother lives m indigent circumstances. The younger girl, Marjory, is the mother of an illegitimate child, towards whose support the father pays nothing. With only £2 m their possession, the two girls went to Dunedin, where they stayed at the Royal Hotel and paid £1 a week for their board m advance. They did no work and when they were m arrears £ 4 each the landlady became financially inquisitive, and ultimately asked the uhpaying guests to leave the hotel. She stated that the girls occupied a room on the ground floor facing the street, and she had seen men going into their room by way of the window. The baby was left unattended for hours at a time, while the girls paraded the streets with men and boys. Subsequently they took lodgings at Filleul-street for which they neglected to pay, and when arrested they had no means. Both ad-, mitted living immoral lives, and that they had left home without their mother's consent. The magistrate said that considering the youth of the girls, there was a possibility of their redemption. They would both be convicted arid ORDERED TO COME UP FOR SENTENCE when called upon, conditionally upon their remaining m the Salvation Army Home, though not -for control m the ordinary way. If possible, situations should be found for them under proper conditions and supervision, and m the meantime • the unfortunate young mother would be allowed to retain charge of her child.