MARITANA'S ENCUMBRANCE.

NZ Truth, Issue 84, 26 January 1907, Page 6

MARITANA'S ENCUMBRANCE.

A Costly Kidlet.

Baby farming is a thriving industry despite the repressive attitude of the Legislature, and only a very sisal? pronortion of females who take m and do for the illegitimate kid and the legitimate youngster who is m the

way. are licensed under Act. Whether j the parents are immoral or otherwise there certainly is a tendency t 0 kick away responsibility and induce others to shoulder it for a monetary consideration. Frequent— all too frequent— advertisements m the newspapers bear this out. Baby farming is carried on very largely m Christchurch, but it is only now and again that .the police bump against a case. One woman at Sydenhani was found to be housing three without a license, and she took out one after she had been fined. She was naturally getting splosh for mothering them. Then another case transpired t'other day m the same suburb, and a queer case it was. Mrs Maria Newman thought of adopting the illegitimate child of Maritana Emaniiel. arid negotiations were entered into, the result, beinr that if she did adqpt it she was to receive £W fr o m -the mother. An agreement was drawn up to that effect. It was a wonderful agreement. If she> wasn't satisfied with the goods —or, at least, the kid— she was to return it to ITS DARLING MOTHER .and also to refund the ten .quid and another twenty besides, making £30 m all. Further, it was also made and provided by another clause m this agreement that if the t names of the parents were divulged, 'someone (writer Ifcf^;-y7h<^:ox&fm' • forces £ - : <&Lotr.--Both parties ""' signetl this wonderful document, which was drawn up m prreat secrecy behind locked 'doors and barred windows. ; There were no witnesses requisitioned,, and the love child was ' . .pa'skc'd ; ...pveiv to Irs Newman. But : ceit.tahi legal steps have to taken before /the, adoption of an infant can- eventuate, and it 'was' while Serst. Remes was making enquiries th'athe discovered that the child had' beijn • registered as legitimate,, whereas it Avasn't. So. lie .took steps against^ tihe mother f6r making ' a false.declaration-. In the meantime the kid - had proved more troublesome .than Mrs Nev/man anticipated, and she grew f sitk of it, and carted it back to' Maritana jEmanuel, oying. her the £10. as well. The agreement tega.rding the forfeiture of £S0 m case the poods were returned doesn't aw&ar to have been- kept. However, Sergt. Kemer -proc^gded. againsb Mrs Newman on a "baby .farm) n?; charge, and she pleaded guilty but Mr Beattie pointed out on her behalf that she had. refunded . the ' premium, and, had therefore kept the child two mon : ths for nothing. As she wasn't keeping children, , and hadn'fc one now, there was no need' for her to, take out a. license. Magistrate Day ; remarked that the legislature looked upon this sort of thing as ,o. , very important matter ; it was viewed as a serious offence, and a fine of £25 was provided for contravention of the Act. ■■ In" .the .present case he would inflict . a fine, of £3 and coasts.; There was one outside witness m. pttendance. Maritana- J^mn-nue-J. tlm mother of thp child, nnd she turned uo/and claimed three bob expenses— and got 'em. *