A STRANGE CASE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9106, 4 May 1891, Page 4

A STRANGE CASE.

CHILDREN UNABLE TO SPEAK. A mostremarkable case has been unearthed the Mount Eden district in carrying oufc le compulsory clauses of the Education Act. few weeks ago Mr Ewington, in his capaty of chairman of the Mount Eden School ommittee, had his attention drawn to five lildren belonging to a resident, who apaared to be allowed to run about wild, raiding the provisions of the Education Act. .c communicated with Mr Small, the ruant Officer, who visited the parents. The ither of the children proved to be an Engshman, and the possessor of a piece of round, an orchard, and a few cows. The hildren were of various ages, ranging from x to 13 years, and they were running about bsolutelywild. MrSmallsubsequently called pon the patents with a summons to show why ley had neglected to send these children to shool. He asked the mother why she had een guilty of such neglect, and she replied _t the reason was that they were unable to peak. She added that she expected they rouldbeable to.peak when they were 18 rl9 years of age. Mr Small was sceptical pon this point, and inclined to believe tbat he mother was making excuses for neglectng her duty. He asked her to send'for the ihildren, and she did so. Mr Small asked, 1 Would you like to go to school 1" But the inly reply he could get from any of them vas a sound resembling "ugg," but they ihattered amongst themselves in a gibberish bat he could make no sense of. Mr Small naisted on the children being sent to school or thwith, but the mother pleaded to be sxcused because the children had no boots, tfr Small declined to be put off in any way, md told the/mother that the children must ;o to school next day, " boots or no boots." tfr Ewington having learned the facts of the ;ase, wrote to Mr Hosking, head teacher o_ ;he Mount Eden School, saying that these jhildren would be placed nnder his charge, tie asked Mr Hosking to pay them special ittention, and to see that the younger ones were not made fun of by scholars who were .etter educated. Mr Hosking received tha jhildren into the school on the Bth inst. and placed them with the other children, but for some considerable time he was unable toteach them anything. He contrived to interest them, however, by giving them picture books, and they are now entering with some degree of Interest into the school work. They make poor attempts at the. pronunciation of even small words, but thereis every hope1 that they will derive great, benefit from school discipline and instruction.—Auckland Star.