CHILDRENS' PROTECTION ACT.

Otago Witness, Volume 25, Issue 2321, 25 August 1898, Page 15

CHILDRENS' PROTECTION ACT.

Diana Pine was charged before Mr Carew, S.M., on Thursday, thai ■she did on the 11th inst. cause \\ illiam Pine, who was under 14 years of age, to wit, 11 years of age, be in George street for the purpose of offering newspapers for pale between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. — to wit, at 11 p.m.

Mrs Pine pleaded guilty. Detective M'Grath said that the information was laid under section 5 of "The Children's Protection Act, 1590." He had seen the boy frequently in the streets between 11 and 12 o'clock at night selling newspapers. He saw the boy on the night in question a littlo after 11 o'clock, and the boy said he had to &lay out until all his papers were sold. Tho defendant, on being spoken to about the matter, admitted that she sent the boy out to sell papers, but said she had been compelled to do so in order to provide food for herself and family. Hhe had applied, so she said, to the Benevolent institution Trustees for assistance, and had been refused. The detective had no reason to doubt the truth of the woman's statement.

Mr Carew: Doei she get anything from her husband?

Detective M'Gralh: She said she va« getting something. Defendant : He is five weeks behind ioclay.

Detective M'Grath f-aid it was a fact that defendant had hern refused assistance by the Benevolent Institution 'irustcos. They refused it because her hufcband was going on squandering money. It Mas a fact that she kept the boy out as charged, and it was a question whether he should not be sent to the Industrial School. Mr Chiles had said that the Benevolent Institution Trustees wero inclined to recommend that cnuive.

Mr Carew said the section of the act under which the information was laid read: "Any person who causes or procures any child, being a boy under the age of 14 years, or being a girl under the age of 16 years, to be in any btreei, or in any premises licenced for the sale of any intoxicating liquor, other than promises licensed according to law for public ontertainmcils, for the purpose of singing, playing, or performing for profit, or offering anything- for sale, between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. . ._ . fr'iall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £25, or in default of, or in addition to, payment to a term or imprisonment not exceeding three months.'' The act forbade the sending out of a boy as defendant had, and she was liable to a fine of £25, which she could not pay, or to be sent to gaol for three months.

Defendant: 1 have been ill in bod for five weeks, ami have no food. Jiy liu.oand is in arrear five weeks. „Mr Carew said he intended to only inflict a nominal penalty, but defendant must understand that she would be liable to be sent to gaol for such conduct, as sh« bad been guilty of. A fina of Is would be imposed.

There are 308 telegraph messengers in New Zealand,