AN UNFORTUNATE CASE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 26, 31 July 1911, Page 8

AN UNFORTUNATE CASE.

ANOTHER PHASE. ' - A phase of a case which recently occupied a great deal of public l attention tame before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court this morning. Thos. Wells, described as a teamster at the Te Kiri sawmill, Taranaki, was called on to show cause why he should not be adjudged the father of tHe child of Ellen Briggs, who was recently seA tettced to 'a term of imprisonment (and subsequently released), on a charge of ■having abandoned her infant in the grounds of th& Homfe of Companion, Island Bay. Chi«f-Detective Broberg represented the police, and Mr. V. R. Meredith appeared for Wells. Mr. J. J. M'Gr'a.th watched proceeding* on behalf of Miss BriggA. ; The evidence of the girl was to the effect that she had been "keeping company" with Wells, who was the father of her child. When alie first came to Wellington Wells gave her £6, and this amount, was expended in confinement and other costs. The child was boarded out, and witness paid 10s per Week towards its maintenance. Defendant subsequently sent her £3, and also p*id £3 to the woman in whose charge the child was, mafting the total amount he had contributed £12. ' She had worked hard to maintain the child in the home. Mr, Meredith proceeded to crose-ex* amkie* witness as to defendant's promises of marriage, but Mr. M'Grath^ pointed Olit that the matter before the eoiift was whether defendant was the father. Mr. Meredith said that his- reasons for cross-examination were to show the public that Wells was not the unmitigated scoundrel hs was popularly supposed to be. His client had never refused to' marry the girl j in fact, he-was tpiite willing eves wow to marry her. There had been a great deal of correspondence in the- paper.* about the case, but connsel .contended that hia client had acted in a. manly way throughout, v The Magistrate : I don't care a rap f«»r whatever appeared in the press ! Continuing, his Worship said there Was no rtfled for Mr. Meredith to inir<v (luce irrelevant matter. The question was whether defendant was tho father. Mr, Meredith then said he would withdraw his defence, and admit paternity. Welle was ordered to contribute 7s 6d per week towards the child* support.

At 2 JJ.ttl, to-morrow Meters. J. W. BraHhwttite and Co. will sell by auctiou 4-^llectioa of. household furniture