YOUNG MAN'S ADMISSION

NZ Truth, Issue 1204, 27 December 1928, Page 3

YOUNG MAN'S ADMISSION

Question of Paternity Settled In Court

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative). With little evidence to substantiate her claim, a .young woman came before Magistrate P. K. Hunt m the maintenance court, asking that a youth with whom she had been keeping company be adjudged the father of her unborn child. There was an unusual conclusion to the case, when Lawyer J. J. Sullivan, who represented defendant, admitted the facts after obtaining assurance from the girl that she had not been intimate with any other man. Counsel then said that his client would consent to an order against him.

T^HE young woman proceeded against I Leonard Clark, a youth of about / twenty years. "It is a most unusual case. The child has not been born," said Lawyer Sullivan. Lawyer Clark, who represented complainant, took a different view of the case, however. "It is not so unusual," he said. "There is no doubt that the couple have been intimate, but I realize that my case is thin. There is practically no corrobbration of the girl's story." The girl and Clark were fellow employees, said counsel, and Clark had commenced to make "something of a ixiae" of the young woman after they had known each other for some time. He had taken her to Luna Park, and to several of the side-shows there, and she was flattered by his attentions, according to the young woman's counsel. The young woman's evidence was very brief. Clark had taken her out a good deal, she said, and she soon made him acquainted with her trouble. He said that he would help her, and had procured medicine for her and had later suggested that she should have an operation. a She had refused to undergo an operation, however, and he had promised to marry her, she told the court. She had asked 'hijrn to bm her mother, but he had refused. Lawyer Sullivan put only o,ne^(iuea-

tion to the girl. "Do you know a man named Souter?" he asked. The young: woman bent her head slightly, and for. some moments did hot answer. "Yes," she replied at last m a quiet voice. "When were you last with him?" asked counsel. No answer was forthcoming to this question, and Magistrate Hunt followed it up with: "Have you been' out with him?" "Yes," replied the girl quietly. Counsel: Did you go for a walk with him? — No. We went to^the pictures. She had not been -intimate with Souter, she said. . Lawyer Sullivan made no attempt to call defendant up to this stage of the .proceedings, and the young woman's counsel aajted her if she had seen Clark m the court. "Yes. He is downstairs," she replied. ' V Lawyer Sullivan left the court to find Clark with whom he returned shortly afterwards, ; "I'll consent to an order. Defendant had it rankling m his mind about Souter," said Lawyer, Sui° Hvah. ■•..'.,' "Well, I am pleased to see that he has been honorable," said the S.M. The young woman'.s counsel expressed his appreciation of the aotlori taken by Lawyer Sullivan. .' An order as applied for was made.