WHOSE WAS THE CHILD?

NZ Truth, Issue 309, 27 May 1911, Page 6

WHOSE WAS THE CHILD?

A PROBLEM IN PATERNITY.

Coiicerning a Child Called Cecil.

A Case Bristling With Mis-statements— Defendant Swears he Was Imprisoned for Another Man's Child.

Harold Enoch Spencer was tproceeded against before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., at the Wellington Magistrate's Court, on Monday last, for disobedience of an order of the court, dated June 24, 1907, directing him to pay fis per week towards the support of his illegitimate child, the arrears amounting to £13 3s 13 d. The same man also applied for a cancellation of the order, on the ground that he was not the father of tbe child.

Sub-Inspector Sheehan prosecuted m the first case, and opposed the j granting of the application m the ' second place, and Mr Alexander Dunn appeared for the man, H. E. Spencer, m both cases, the two being taken together. Harold Enoch Spencer, described, as a laborer, said that an order had bean made against him for the payment of 6s per week. The child was adopted by him. It was the child of a man named Matthews, who came to board with him when he lived at Box Hill. A Mrs Green was also living m the house. Witness subsoqtiently removed to Foresterslane, and then the police TOOK THE CHILD AWAY FROM HIM. Tho child was placed m a home. He next appeared before Dr McArthur, S.M., and an order was made against him on .lune 24, 1907. He had not been sworn, but he had admitted he was the father of the child m order to protect a woman who was keeping the children on unlicensed premises. He swore now he was not the father oE the child. He could not say who was the motner of the child, but he believed she was a barmaid. Matthews had gone to Sydney. Witness had served three terms of imprisonment m respect of tbe order against him.

To his Worship : He had made certain payments under the order.

Harriet Spencer, mother of tho defendant, said she remembered his getting the child at Box Hill. She recollected Matthews telling defendant that he did not expect hinx to pay for the child. Matthews gave money for the child's support on several occasions. She was positive the child was not defendant's.

To his W orsni P : The child was about two years of age when Matthews handed it to defendant ;; that was about, three years ago. '.. The child

WAS A CURLYnHAIRED BOY with brown eyes ; 'it was called Cecil. To Sub-Inspector Sheehan : Witness had given the, same evidence on a former occasion. William Henry Matthews, a painter, employed by Mr Carpenter, said he was a brother of Richard Matthews, who had formerly lived In Wellington. He ha.d some recoUection of his brother, having a child some four or five years ago. His brother was not married, but he was living with a woman. They then had a child about sis or eight months old. The child's name was, Cecil or Cyril, or some such name. Witness's brother said lie had adopted it. The woman afterwards separated from witness's brother, and witness was told by his brother that he had boarded the child out at 7s a .week. Witness could not say where his brother was' now ; he last heard of him being on a boat about 2£ years ago.

To Sub-Inspector Sheehan :i He •.ould not say what boat it was. He did not think he would recognise the child if he saw it.

To his Worship : The child was dark. His brother had told him that

the mother was not the woman WITH WHOM HE HAD BEEN LIVING. Witness did not tell him who was the child's mother. He did not know defendant at the time his brother handed the child over. He had only I met him m the last fortnight. j Emily Cook, wife of David Cook, employed by the City Council, said | she had lived m Elizabeth-street for jthe past ten years. She had atone time let a bed-sitting room to a IRichard Matthews and a woman, i who was represented to be his wife, and they had a child aged six or seven months. These people went to Christchurch afterwards, and the' child was taken to tbe hospital. When the child was ready to come out of the hospital, there was no one to receive it, and the police made inquiries. Matthews subsequently took the child. The woman had told her that she had adopted the' child. Witness did not know where Matthews was now, but the woman was at present residing at

Christchurch. Witness had been told that the real mother's name was Frew.

To Sub-Inspector Sheehan : Witness was speaking of about six years ago when she said the child was about six months old.

To his Worship :. The child would be more than six years of ago now ; of that she was positive.

The Clerk of the Court (Mr A. H. Holmes) produced the adoption order which had been made m 1904.

Alfreda Green, living at Island Bay, said that about 5* years ago she" lived at Box Hill, and had let a room to defendant. While he was living there, a young man named Paddy Matthews brought a child which he gave to defendant. She knew nothing about the child. except that it had been ill. To his Worship : The child was delicate. It had fair curly hair and dark eyes. The child would be dyer seven years of age now. She thought

SHE COULD IDENTIFY THE CHILD.

She understood from Matthews that the child had been m the hospital. Defendant left witness's house about a fortnight later, and he took the child with him. He was a single man.

To Sub-Inspector Sheehan : Defendant was living with a woman nam