LOVERS PART OVER FAMILY RELIGION.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 5, 7 January 1922, Page 19

LOVERS PART OVER FAMILY RELIGION.

An extraordinary breach of promise action, in which the young couple appeared to have disagreed over the religious upbringing of their prospective children, was heard by Mr. Justice Rowlatt at Glamorgan Assizes. Miss Winnie Brooks, who lives with her parents at Prora Btreet, Tonypandy, sned Mr. William Paton, a dental operator, of Ferndale. The Jury gave a verdict for Mr. Paton. The parties met early in 1918, said counsel, at a concert in Tonypandy, at which Mr. Paton presided. Miss Brook, who had musical ability, was singing at the concert, and Mr. Paton, charmed with her performance, fell ln love wltb ber. He asked to be allowed to visit her home, and was received by ber family. Miss Brooks' mother was an assistant mistress at a Roman Catholic school. Originally It was intended that tbe couple should be married about Christmas of 1918, but as tbe young woman was a Roman Catholic and Mr. Paton was a Protestant, she made it a condition of the marriage that all their children should be brought up in the Roman Catholic faith. It was this condition that proved the Btumbling block. Mr. Paton eventually wrote his agreement to tbe marriage, and It was arranged that it should take place at Easter. As the time approached, however, Mr. Paton broke away from his promise. Mr. Paton, according to the girl, bad once gone on his knees to her mother, and had asked her to help to make It np, and as a result tbe marriage arrangements bad been proceeded with. A few days after her mother and sister went to see Mr. Paton at his surgery in Ferndale, and be was asked what he intended to do about tbe marriage, and said that he did not intend to get married. Mr. Paton had said tbat he was prepared to marry Miss Brooks in a Catholic Church, but he refused absolutely to be bound by such conditions as that Church wished to impose regarding tbe children of the marriage. The promise to marry was freely admitted.