CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6186, 14 March 1888, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

This Dat. (Before K. Beetham, Esq., R.M.) PiiLisa to Pjrovide. — John Bruce Watson, on remand, was charged with having wilfully failed to provide for , his four childen. The infants were now ! inmates of the Burnham School. He pleaded "Not guilty." Constable Gill said that on March 9 he found the

!Jj£^;-**— ■■w.w...,^^w ««p»" : -. children roaming about the streets. Asked them why they were loose, and they said their father was lying in the house drunk. The man was a bricklayer. Mary Ann Oppenheini, a widow, said the man was always in a state of intoxication, and the children had refused to live in the houss with him, saying they would rather lie in the paddock. Ann Elizabeth Watson, a little daughter of the accused, said she was fourteen years old, and there were three younger than her. She said her father was frequently drunk. The 6econd daughter said she had had to eat potatoes three times a day, but there was meat in the house —a small quantity. On Wednesday morning he left her 4s Bd to buy food. He was drunk every night, and was very nasty with them. On Thursday night they would not go into the bouse, and when, they went to ask him for blankets he said that nothing was to go out of his house. A witness, Palmer, said he had known Watßon for ten months. On Tuesday and Wednesday they had been working up to nine o'clock. The Magistrate said it was fortunate the children had been sent to Burnham. The accused was a disgrace to humanity. His wife was recently dead. The Magistrate had held an inquest upon her, and at that inquest there had been evidence of großs ill-usage of the woman, although not sufficient to lay against him a charge of manslaughter. The wife scarcely dead and buried, the man behaved like a brute, keeping hia house in a filthy state, and following a I course of life of which he ought to be thoroughly ashamed. Had the charge i been laid under the Destitute Persons Act, instead of the Industrial Schools Act, the man would have received a month's imprisonment. As it was, he ■would have to pay .£1 11s 6d per week., j Mr Pender said he had received offers from several ladies to take the elder girl into service. The second one was already in a situation. Civil Case. — Springs Eoad Board v. Fessey, claim JEI Is, for rates. Judgment for plaintiffs.