COSTLY DAUGHTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20288, 22 June 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

COSTLY DAUGHTERS.

ACCOUNTANT'S ESTIMATE. A TOTAL OF ABOUT £3OOO. Clearing out old receipt files awakens old and sometimes- painful memories, writes an accountant in the Daily Mail. Recently, he says, he came upon a receipted doctor's bill for £3O. That was the baby. Pinned to this was another 'for £24 15s 3d in payment to a lady called a " monthly nurse," although she apparently stayed six weeks. Messrs. Blank gratefully acknowledge recipfc of £lO "to one dark' blue perambulator." And so it went on. Beforo she was a few weeks in this ■world baby had a largo debit to set off against her rebate on the income tax. And the initial cost is nothing compared with the maintenance charges, which now in her third year, are mounting appreciably. Tho writer goes -on to say;—" The disturbing- thought comes to me, How much will sho have --cost by tho time she is 21 ? Schools bills considered, I doubt if tho outlay will bo less than £3OOO. When- on some day a nervous young man informs mo that ho wished to marry my daughter, I shall not ask him whether he can support her in a worthy state. I shall hand him a neatly docketed bundle of receipted bills. " ' My dear fellow,' I shall say, ' you can have her by all means-—at a vfllui* tion. Just cast your eye through theso accounts and you will see that she has cost me £3OOO 18s lOd. I shall charge 2Jt per cent, commission only. Take hor or leave her :!' "