THE MARTIN CASE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 October 1924, Page 5

THE MARTIN CASE

GIRL’S DISAPPEARANCE. BISHOP CLEARY CONTRADICTED. MOTHER’S ACTION DEFENDED. (by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, Oct. 26. A statement regarding the Martin case has been given to the Herald by Mr Wesley Spragg, who, as a,long established friend of the Martin family, was closely associated with the case from the 'beginning. The statement is as follows: “In view of the positive statement by Bishop Cleary that the immediate cause of the departure of Margaret Martin from home had no connection with any religious views held .by her, and because the statement (I am quite sure unintentionally) gives support to some dastardly rumours: which reflect upon tlie mother, I think’it my duty to give the girl’s own version of the facts. When the newspapers and the public began to make enquiries for information of her - whereabouts, Miss Martin addressed a letter to her mother, dated September 19, as follows: • ‘My dear mother,—you will understand why I left home so suddenly yesterday. I claim, the right to follow my own conscience on religious matters, and I. was no longer able, to stay with you in view of tlie attitude you had adopted. For that reason, and entirely of my own will, I thought it better to go. I am stayr ing with people who are kind, so I am well looked after. There is nothing to worry about.—With love from Margaret. ’ ” A copy of a second letter of the same date, addressed to the inspector pf police, repeats the reason given in the first letter. It reads:“I wish to state that yesterday morning I left home owing to the serious opposition which, met ray intention with regard, to matters of religion. I am quite well, safe and happy. I left entirely of my own accord, and am equally free in staying away#* Should I wish to return there would be absolutely nothing to . prevent my doing so.” Mr Spragg continues: “I think there is evidence that both these letters, especially the one to the police inspector, Were carefully worded under counsel of her new friends. They were written in the early stages of the incident, before, it would be realised that their writer’s action would be the cause of the present unhappy sectarian bitterness, and before it was seen there was need for carefully worded explanations. That being so I think they may be considered conclusive. . “Without doubt the religiousi views, such as they were, of a girl of immature judgment, doubtless under very unwise and exceedingly cruel counsel given in connection therewith, broke up the Martin home. . Emphasis appears to be laid upon what is called the immediate cause of her departure, etc. There need be no mystery about this. Mrs- Martin had reason to believe that a woman, who was lurking in a suspicious manner about the backyard of her residence, and who ran away when she knew she was being observed, was there for the purpose of inducing her daughter to leave her home (an earlier incident had given reason for that belief), and so she placed the latter under some small restraint. To b© quite explicit she was locked up for the night in a room with access to her mother to keep her from contact with the woman outside. This was to prevent her from doing exactly what she did do immediately an opportunity occurred, thkt is, run away to her Roman Catholic friends. “Since her return home Miss Martin has told her mother that this locking up incident was the immediate cause of her running away from home. There is no occasion for either♦ foolish or wicked surmise about the matter. I am sorry I am called upon to contradict Bishop Cleary or to take any public part in this incident. I greatly regret it 9 occurrence in our. community, because of the cruelty which has been inflicted upon an esteemed family and an especially admirable mother. I am also very sorry because of its influence in stirring up lincharitableness and needless antipathies and' strife among neighbours who were intended to be friends.”