AN UNUSUAL CASE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12710, 22 March 1911, Page 5

AN UNUSUAL CASE.

CHILD LEAVES INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

PARENTS TO BE PROCEEDED

AGAINST,

/Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 21. A boy, 5£ years old, the son of Charles Talbpt. of Walton Street, Sydemham,w3ia» on the 2nd inst. was admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Bottle Lake suffering from scarlet fever, managed either to escape or to be decoyed away from tha institution on Mondaylast, the 13th inst. The,parents of the boy state that the little fellow arrived home on Monday last, having, according to his own statement, walked to town and thctn got a lift in a cart toSydenham. The. matron at the Bottle. Lake Hospital, on the otheir hand, al- ' kges that the boy was allured away, either by his parents or someone actingfor them. ' On Dr. Finch, Health Officer, beingseen by a reporter and asked for information regarding the case, he stated: that the position, was that if tho child was not returned to the Bottle Lake Hospital by noon to-day, the machinery of the Law was to take effect. An ordclr had been issued under the Public Health Act calling upon.the parents toplace the child in the hospital. If this was not complied with, action would be taken under sub-section D of Section 33 of the Public Health Act, which provides that "«very person who wilfully clisobe}-s an order or in any way obstructs or delays the prompt execution thereof is liable to* a find not exceeding £10." Dr. Finch added that everything possible was done to persuade the parents to allow tho child to go to tho* hrspitil, and they wets told, that bydoing so, whatever complaints they ha* against the institution would not be prejudiced. On the reporter visiting the parents'" homo shortly after 12 to-day, he found .that the child had noi been returned to the hospital, and the' parents stated' that they had no intantion ofsending it back, though they were qtiite? willing to have it kept apart.