CHARGE OF NEGLECTING A CHILD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2579, 19 August 1903, Page 79

CHARGE OF NEGLECTING A CHILD.

(From Our Owk Correspondent.) J CHRISTCHURCH, August 14-. At the Magistrate's Court this morning Charles aud Abil 'Hankins were charged, on remand, with wilfully neglecting Charles Leonard Leaman, a seven-year-old child, who was in their custody, in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering. The offence was alleged to have been committed at St. Martins, Opawa, on or about August 5. The chief evidence for the prosecution was given by Richard Leaman, a servant at the Suinner Deaf and Dumb Institution, who was a brother of the female accused. On the- 27th July he visited her house at St. Martine, and stayed there four nights. The child slept in the outhouse on each occasion. Witness saw the place. There was no bed, but the boy slept on a sack on the brick floor, with a couple of sacks over him. They were very cold, frosty nights. The boy got up between 7 and 8 in the morning. His food, consisting of vegetables, but no meat, was given him at a separate table. Witness did not remonstrate with hi 3 sister about the child. The boy went to bed of his own accord shortly after 6 o'clook each evening. When witness left St. Martins he mentioned the way in which the boy was treated to Constable Flewellyn. Previous to those four nights witness had seen the way his sister treated the child when she lived at Dallington. The boy was cared for better then, and slept, in the defendant's own bedroom. Crossexamined : There might have been flax under the sacks, which he did notice, and there were also some old coats, but no pillow. Witness was told that the child was very dirty in his habits, and that was why he had been put in the outhouse. He never saw the boy ill-treated in any other way. Lenman's evidence was supported by other witnesses, and the accused was committed for trial. The matron of the Samaritan Home, where the child has been for the last seven days, stated that he had not exhibited any dirty habits there. Photographs were put in showing the inflamed state of the boy's feet from aggravated chilblains when he was found by the police, and medical evidence was called on the same point. The boy stated that he was not ill-treated except for being put in an outhouse on cold, frosty nights. Accused reserved their defence, and were committed for trial, bail

jeing allowed in each case to the amount of 850 and two sureties of £25. Sub-inspector Dwyer will apply io have the chjld committed to the Industrial Home. ' - I