LIVING IN SQUALOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18624, 4 August 1922, Page 9

LIVING IN SQUALOR

HORRIFYING CONDITIONS AT FITZROY. MOTHER AND FATHER SENT TO GAOL) At Fitzroy Court, Melbourne (saya the A ire) John Williams, 43 labourer, and his wife. May Williams, 30, were charged with having neglected to provide their six children, whose ages range from ten years to five and a-half months, with adequate food, shelter, and clothing, and by reason of such neglect the children were caused actual bodily suffering. Senior Constable Cljnniok said on Thursday afternoon, 14th insu, he, with Plainclothes Constable Gooden, and Polioswoman Madge Connor, went to the premises—a delicensed hotel—in Fitzroy street. On the ground floor was a room occupied by accused and their family. There worn two babies, twins, five and a-half months old. The oldest of the six children was ten years. The floor was in an indescribably filthy condition. The male accused was lying partly dressed on the only bed in the room. A quart bottle containing the dregs of beer was alongside him. He was in a drunken stiipid condition. The female accused was trying to sweep up the filth from the floor Scattered around the room wore empty bottles, tops of beer bottles, stale crusts of bread, and dirty rags. The stench was overpowering. The twins were lying in a perambulator covered with dirty pieces of blanket® There was’ only one bed in the room, which the male accused said he and his wife and two of the children occupied. The only food in the house were stale crusts of bread and a few old pieces of cake. The family had been occupying the roam for two months. Complaints had been made regarding the conditions under which accused were living. The children were taken to the Royal Park Home. The male defendant said he was getting £3 per fortnight as a soldier’s pension. They paid, they said, £1 per week for the room. Plain-clothes Constable Gooden gave evidence of a similar nature. Defendant said he had been to the war and was shot through the arms. He had been locking for work without success They had to fake the room because with their children they could not get a house. The male accused was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour. His wife was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment. A painful scene ensued. Tho woman, screaming hysterically and pleading not to be sent to gaol, was earned from tho court.