REAPING THE WHIRLWIND.

NZ Truth, Issue 251, 16 April 1910, Page 6

REAPING THE WHIRLWIND.

The Cost of Wild Oats.

The prospect oi paying 7s 6s for the keep of a love child until it reaches the age of fourteen j ears' is an appalling one for the miserable putative father, who, m many cases, vanishes to parts unknown, if he gets half the shadow til a chance. That, is why it is deemed necessary to hold the slippery one by means of a substantial hond'. With confinement expenses the average illegitimate youngster costs about £ 280, often increased by legal exes, for the recovery of arrears, and if the young man, or the elderly, baMhr&defl man — as the case may be — can escape by payment of a moderate lump sum he thinks himself lucky. When Ernest Birdling and Ivy Otten loved unwisely m Christchurch last year, with the usual result, Ivy brought Ernest before MagisI trate Haselden on the well-grounded assumption that the young man was about to skeddadle without making adequate provision for his unborn youngster. The sum of £30 was then considered sufficient security. JErnest apparently believed himself well rid of his responsibilities at that price, and seized the, first' opportunity to vanish. This tale of woe was made plain to Magistrate Bishop the other day when Mr Donnelly, on behalf of the girl, applied to have the £30 applied to the payment of confinement exes, and 7s (id a week while it lasted. Ivy Otten, a simple-looking damsel, stated that she was eighteen years of age, and Ernest Birdling was ' adjudged putative father of her child on September 17 last, and the youngster was born on January 8 of the present year. Proceedings' had since been instituted against Birdling, but Ernest, like the missing Leader picture, couldn't be found. The confinement expenses /amounted to £8 Bs, nursing and doctors. The girl's mother produced the bills for the treatment. Magistrate Bishop commented upon the absurdity of trying to hold the father of ay illegitimate child on a mere £30 bond. Many would be glad to rid themselves of their responsibility for that sun:. The sum of £B 8s was ordered to be paid i out of the money m court, and 7s P>d per week thereafter until it was exhausted. ! The coot who from silly bravado sv.in s out beyond tbe dsir-gev limit at tl:e wat-ering-places richer es to l.c .swalh.v. e'l by ; a v/ba'e, or spn:etl;i»g.