HOMELESS! A BOY'S VICISSITUDES.
After being buffeted about tho world for the wholo eleven years of his life, experiencing deplorable hardships, a plucky little- lad named Arthur Hopkins was taken into custody by the police, and in his own in treat charged before- Dr. A. M'Arthur, S.M., this morning, with being homeless and^ having no settled place of nbode. A short sketch of tho boy's life was given by ConMablo M'Cnnn, of Otaki. Ho stated that the lad wus bom in New York. His mother died when ho was four months old, and at the ago of seven he wus taken to London to live with his grandmother. In tho meantime his father rc-inarried, and his wifo journeyed to London, secured the boy, and 1 took him back to America, Soon after thia she died, and the little fellow was sont by tho father to a charitable home for two years, because his brothers took a dislike j to him. He had only been in the home two months when his uncle, Harry Hopkins, gut him out, took him to England, and then to Now Zealand. Hopkins finally settled down in Pa.hner«toii North as a billiard marker, and soon afterwards (according to the constable's evidence) took a dislike to the lad,, and on Christmas Day, 1902, handed him over to a Maori at Obau. There the boy remained until Saturday last, when he found his Way to Otxiki. That night ho slept, in a 'bus. *«iul then went in aeureh of work to To lioro, where Constable M'Cann took him into custody. Ten months ago ho was thrown from a young horse and broke his jaw, i necessitating liis remaining in a hospital for six weeks. His Worship: It is ono of those cases, it seems to me, wliero the natives aro much kinder than the boy'g own relatives, ihe relatives apparently havo allowed the little- fellow to go where he liked ae> long as they did not see him. Sub-Inspector O'Donovan at this stage applied for a remand until Monday 111 order to allow him to communicate "with the polico at Pnlmcrston North with 11 viow to having tho caae investigated. His Worship: "I hone it will bo inveatigated fully, too. What shall we do with the little fellow in the meantime?" Before getting an answer his Worship, addressing tho lad, Raid: "How long ia it since you came to New Zealand?" lac boy replied: "I arrived in 1902." His Worship 1 "He seema an intelligent boy. too." You were looking for work. — Yea What did you think of doingT—Milking. Very well, we- will make enquiries and help you along. The lad wn« then remanded until Monday, the understanding being that he would not be allowed to mix with any of tho criminal cln«j.
HOMELESS! A BOY'S VICISSITUDES.
Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 64, 13 September 1904, Page 5
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