MAGISTRATE SURPRISED

Southland Times, Issue 22216, 8 January 1934, Page 10

MAGISTRATE SURPRISED

“PUBLIC 'MONEY WASTED.”

LITTLE GIRL’S MAINTENANCE.

“There has been a wicked waste of public money in this case,” remarked the Marylebone magistrate when he was informed that a child of five had cost the ratepayers £7O in less than 11 months. Before the court was the father of the child, Thomas Smith, aged 34, labourer, of Yarrow, Durham, who was charged on a warrant with running away and leaving the little girl chargeable to the London County Council, since last November. It was explained that the child was costing £1 15/1 a week. The Magistrate: £1 15/1 a week for a child of five? Mr Powell, the relieving officer, explained that the child was being kept in a residential school. The Magistrate: Why do they spend public money like that? Think of it. If it was my own child would it cost more, and I don’t pretend to be a pauper, although I am not a rich man. Unless you give me some explanation it seems perfectly ridiculous, and I hope the public will know what is being spent. .. , When asked by the magistrate if she would have spent the same amount of money on the child, the mother replied: “I don’t suppose so.” The Magistrate: No wonder the rates are what they are, when money is spent like this. It is useless arresting this out-of-work man and bringing him back to London. j Smith was sentenced to 21 days imprisonment with hard labour.