N.Z. Couple Hope To Keep Baby Given Them

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 3

N.Z. Couple Hope To Keep Baby Given Them

(N.ZJ’A.-Reuter— Copyright)

MELBOURNE. Jan. 27. A childless New Zealand married couple came smiling out of a Melbourne solicitor’s office on Friday half-way to having an adopted son. The couple, Mr and Mrs Frank Streeton. of Masterton, were on their way back to New Zealand after a two-year working holiday in England on the liner Flavin, when they were given the child by its mother.

The mother, a 20-year-old girl, is not married and is on her way home to her parents in Brisbane. The girl offered the baby, four-month-old David John, to Mr Frank Streeton, aged 40, and Mrs Marigold Streeton. aged 36, on the ship in Perth. Yesterday the foster-parents-to-be and the girl went to a solicitor in Melbourne to see about adoption.

After a one hour and a half interview the Streetons came out smiling. Taking Him Home

Mr Streeton said: “We can take David back home with us.” Last night the couple left for Sydney in the Flavia nursing David. They said they might fly to New Zealand early next week. Mr Streeton told reporters before the ship sailed that David’s mother had signed a form of consent while he and his wife made sworn affidavits saying they wished to adopt the child.

Mr Streeton said he had

also sworn that he had his own home in Masterton and employment Mr Streeton said he was advised by the lawyer to seek legal advice on his return to New Zealand. The adoption could not be completed in Melbourne.

David slept peacefully throughout the adoption discussion.