CUSTODY OF A CHILD.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1243, 16 May 1922, Page 4

CUSTODY OF A CHILD.

ARREST OF A MOTHER. "A MONSTROUS PROCEEDING. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The final phase in the Salaman case, which concerns the custody of an Indian child, who, by Habeas Corpus, was given to the father to take care •■ of, was ventilated in the Supreme Court before the Chief Justice yesterday, when an appeal was made by tiie wife against a writ of attachment, which resulted in her arrest at Auckland and her conveyance to Wellington, where she was cast into the Halswell prison. For the wife, Mr E. G. Jellicoe stated that in pursuance of the writ of habeas corpus, granted by Mr Justice Hosking, the wife on Tuesday, May 9th, saw the child's father at the office of Mr Leicester, his solicitor, and urged him to come to sOme amicable arrangement with her regarding the child's future. He refused to discuss the matter and said that he would have her arrested. His counsel suggested to her to bring the child to his office nexit morning. On Wednesday morning, said the i wife in an affidavit, she cried so pitifully that she decided to accompany her to Auckland, and surrender,the child to her father there, and she did so. The child's father travelled in the same train. She was met at Auckland by a detective and police officers' and was authorised to take the child to the residence of Mrs Long, wife of the Chinese interpreter, where the child was to be called for. As no one came she took the child to her father's residence in Khyber Pass, and she delivered the child to the father there but it cried so terribly that she arranged with the father to stay there with it. In the morning before she was out of bed detectives arrested her on a warrant of the Court at Wellington. She was brought to Wellington and placed in prison, and refused bail. Mr Je-llicoe said the court had been grossly deceived, and such action was against procedure. Mr Leicester stated that the husband saw his wife with the child at Taumarunui railway station, and told her she had committed contempt of court by leaving Wellington. He wired the police at Auckland. His Honour: Is it 'a fact she was in a house at'Khyber Pass when arrested? If so, that was a monstrous thing to do. It was monstrous to arrest the woman under those cir- „ cumstances, and, with the child, place her in prison. Evidence was tendered hy the de-puty-sheriff's officer to the effect that he had arrested the woman at a place in Khyber Pass. She was in bed with her child when he visited the premises. Both were taken to the police station. His Honour said there was unnecessary harshness used. The wife was ordered to be released, and costs amounting to two guineas • were made against 'Salaman.