CRUELTY TO CHILDREN.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18343, 1 June 1931, Page 9

CRUELTY TO CHILDREN.

COVERED WITH. BRUISES. ] FATHER SENT TO PRISON. Walter Steele, farmer, of Ohlnewai, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court with cruelly thrashing his two children, John Milton Steele, aged nine, and Evelyn Steele, aged eight. The headmaster of the Ohlnewai school, Mr Peacock, laid the information. Miss V. R. Lyttle, assistant at the school, stated that sin; observed the girl's condition at school and as a result questioned her and found she was covered with bruises. The girl admitted having been thrashed by her father. Dr. D. C. Macdiarmid said he had examined the two children at school. .The boy tiad bruises on his shoulders, arms, neck and legs up to his knees. The girl .had bruises on her face, shoulders and arms and heavy marks all over her body corresponding to the size of the belt which she had been thrashed. Accused said lie thrashed the children because they were persistent liars and they loitered on the way home from school, lie now realised that lie had overdone it and thought lie must have lost his temper. Accused was convicted and sentenced to one month's imprisonment witlt hard labour.