WARK'S WORRIES.

NZ Truth, Issue 214, 31 July 1909, Page 6

WARK'S WORRIES.

The Just Remarks of Mr Haseiden, S.M.

A young man with the singular name of John Wark, but who was call^J "Walker" by everybody m Court, appeared before Beak Haseiden m Uhristchurch on Saturday last, when he was charged with failing to riaintain the illegitimate child of Elizabeth Jane Calder, his arrears now having reached "the sum of £7 2s Bd. Solicitor Hunter, for the defendant, explained .that his client had been unable to get employment. He had done no worn m the month of April, for instance, and toil since had been intermittent. JVIr Donnelly desired to make a few J remarks. Magistrate Haseiden said counsel knew his sentiments regarding cases of this description. Mr Donnelly said they had never been able to get at the young man. It was only by accident that they found that he was at Hastings, and they had made the person who had gone surety pay previously. The.' child was' at present, wrth :its grandmother, who hafl an order of the Court for the payment of ?s 6d per week, and had come down from* Hastings to enforce the order. 1 Mr Hunter : The mother is married now. Mr Donnelly said they didn't know where she was. Mr Haseiden, S.M., said he was loth to send the young man to gaol. His Worship explained that imprisonment was not so much for the punishment of the individual, but was for the purpose of acting as a deterrent to others who might evade their responsibilities. "It may tend to THE OBSERVANCE OP THE MORAL LAWS," remarked his Worship, "but with ihr.b I am not directly concerned." His Worship asked if counsel would make an offer on behalf of the young man. Mr Hunter "mentioned 10s per week as a sum that would partially serve to wipe out the arrears, but his Worship said it was just as difficult to enforce an order of 10s per week as one of 7s 6d per week. Mr Donnelly : He could get the money from his father at once. His' Worship asked if the man had been arrested at Hastings. Mr Donnelly replied, no, that they had obtained hip attendance by summons. As a matter of fact, counsel didn't expect to see the man present t'lvat day, and meditated applying for a warrant for his arrest. Mr Hunter remarked that, the young man had only arrived on the previous day from Hastings, and he asked for an adjournment, to which his client was eatitled. i His Worship said that if the young man entered into a bond and found a ! surety of £10 to coiue up m a week's i fcimo he might go, although vis .Woe*

ship thought the shortest way to deal with the matter would be to make an < order of commitment. Eventually, the Magistrate remanded the defendant iov a week, the defendant to obtain a surety (for £10 to the satisfaction of the Inspector of Police before he was. permitted to go free.