A SHOCKING EXAMPLE

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 22, Issue 91, 24 November 1911, Page 7

A SHOCKING EXAMPLE

A DESTITUTE SOUNDS FAMILY CHILDREN COMMITTED TO STOKE ORPHANAGE (Pioton Press) .

Thanks to Constable King, and the Pioton Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, the. sad case of the Haines family, who for some years past have been existing in a state of utter destitution in one of the bays of our own beautiful Sounds, has been brought to light, and five of the youngest, in steps and stairs from five to fifteen years, out of a large family, have been committed to the Stoke Orphanage, where the surroundings will be more congenial, and their up-bringing more within the realms of civilisation. At the Picton S.M. Court this afternoon, Mr E. S. Florence. S.M., heard the pitiful case, and by his deciaion of committal has paved the way for five useless lives to be made useful. Sergeant Hansen conducted the case for the police, and Constable King gave evidence that the husband of the unfortunate mother, a labourer named William Haines, had deserted her, and bad not been heard of since last November. He (witness) visited the home of the Haines family at Penguin Bay on Friday last, and found them all to be in an utter state of destitution. The ages of the children were as follow Harold, 16 years; Joseph, II; May Olive 10; Mabel Agnes, 9 ; Eva .Ann, 7. In addi- .. tionßto these there were elder children, viz, Alex, aged 21 years, who was working at Taranaki; Margaret, married to William Lynn, employee, by J. D. Foster, Wilson’s Bay ; Robert Henry, 16, employed by Eli Wells, Four Fathom Bay. He found all the children living in a whare with their mother; and quite unprovided for in regard to clothes. They were ragged and dirty. Penguin Bay is some 30 miles by land from the Nydia Bay public school, and the children are consequently quite uneducated. .i The mother can neither read or write, and has no property. He considered all the children were defectives. Witness brought the children awav on Saturday morning bat the mother refused to come with them. The children had been cleaned, clothed, and generally cared for by Mrs Tarrant, wife of Constable Tarrant. The religion of the family was as Church of England, but they had never been to church or Sunday school. The boy Harold was born at Master ton, Joseph and Mabel atßenwicktown, and Eva at Havelock. The registration iof the other births was being enquired for. Witness said he had known the children for the past five years, and had endeavoured to have them committed, before. The children, as faras be knew, had no criminal tendencies, * They were living in the same destitute condition When he first knew them as they were at Penguin Bay. Proceedings were taken by the police against the father for maintenance. The mother was entirely destitute, and did not seem inclined to work. She lived solely upon the generosity of the people in the Sounds, who had provided the family with food and clothes for years. She and her children had’ been in receipt of charitable aid from the Picton Hospital Board since 4th September. Mr Edwards, Acting-Secretary of the Picton Board, stated that the case was brought under the notice of members in August. Mr Foster, one of the members, was deputed to make enquiries, and it was as a result of his report that the Board sent out food. The Magistrate stated that the best thing to be done would be to commit the children to the Stoke Orphanage, where they would be educated and cared for. The warrants were duly Signed, and the unfortunate family will ybe sent to Nelson by this evenings Steamer.