A WOMAN'S TRIALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 27

A WOMAN'S TRIALS.

! SAD CASE OF HARDSHIP. CHRISTCHURCH, January 8. A b.ibv was bom on the steamei Maiaica "ye-terday morning while th 6 vessel v.as* travelling ironi Wellington t<j Lyttel'on under circumstances that ?ce« to call for an inquiry. The mother is a young married woman, who whs deserted" by hi-r husband in Xel-on iome months ago. She was in receipt of charitable aid In Xekon, it is stated, but under the by.- tern that has previously produced reciimmat ions amongst" charitable aid boards, she was sent to ' Wellington. The birth of the child was imminent, but lelief was not forthcoming, in Wellington, and after some delay eonieon<* paid the woman's steamer fare tx» Lyttelton, and she left on Wednesday mght, apparently without any definite' arrangements being made for her reception. The baby was born during the night. v ; The police were informed of the birth. oil arrival of the steamer at Lytteltow yesterday morning. The woman sfems to luive been told that »he could go to the ' Samaritan Home, and the authorities o£ that institution were communicated with by telephone, but they replied that they, could not take the woman and child iri the home, which wae intended for persons of quite another class, and not for those who were nverely destitute. The secretary^ of ihe Charitable Aid Board was also coir-i municated with, but meanwhile the SaJ- ; ration Army authorities stepped in, and* the mother and child were provided with' 1 a temporary abiding-place by that organisation in their maternity home.