A PITIFUL CASE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10409, 24 July 1912, Page 7

A PITIFUL CASE.

Per Press Association.

Auckland,”Jaly 23,

Maav and varied are the uses of advertisements Evan though in these commercial days the “ad.” has been captured, scientifically catalogued, and trained to go in the ways where it will do most good, the casual variety called “matrimonial” has idiesynorae'ea which set it as a thing apart, and it is considered passing strange when the matrimonial ad. leadstn matrimony; bat a positive instance of such a thing hariag'aotnally happened was recorded at the Police Court this morning, when a young man who was stated to be a very decent Sad was charged with having failed to provide his wife and child with adoquata means of maintenance. The history of the case, as related by Mr Matthews, was a rather pitiful one. The Society for the Protection of Women and Children had its attention drawn to the destitntlon of the young woman and child in the case, and they were placed in a home while proceedings were instituted to bring the husband to book. In the interim, however, the conduct of the mother satisfied the Society that she was not a fit and proper person to have custody of the child, and not seem at all inclined to stay under the restraint of the Home, consequently a fuller statement of the circumstances of the marriage having come out, Mr Matthews did not press for an order of maintenance against the husband for the mother. The child, though illegitimate, and not that of the defendant husband, would have to be provided for, and the husband since the marriage was legally responsible. Mr Staunton, who appeared for the husband, stated in reply to a question Mr Gotten, S.M., that the husband had come to know the girl through a matrimonial advertisement which £he had answered. JShe then bad the child, bnt he was induced in March last to marry her. Since then her conduct had been unsatisfactory. It was agreed that Mr Matthews should make an application to have the manager of the Home constituted the child’s guardian, and that he should aSao seek an order requiring the husband to contribute 5a a week towards its keep, the young man agreeing to that course.