IDENTITY MISTAKEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27026, 10 March 1949, Page 11

IDENTITY MISTAKEN

PRINCESS MARGARET VISITS COURT '■ f LONDON, Mar. 7. Many children and parents mistook Princess Margaret for a probation officer, during, a visit made by her to an East London juvenile court in London’s slumland to-day. She asked to sit between the probation officers, where she would be least noticed, and w.ould be able to answer questions. She took great interest in the proceedings and leaned forw ard to study a girl aged 16 who was said by her mother to be beyond control The girl stayed out ifntil midnight one night, and did not get home on another. - - “I think she gets lured by other women,” the mother said. Princess Margaret looked on approvingly when the mother and the magistrate decided that the girl should be sent to a hostel for six months to make good. The, Princess heard the girl scream and swear as she was dragged away by policemen after her committal. One . probation officer said: The Princess wanted to know what led children into crime and how we thought it could be stopped.”