LIABILITY OF PUTATIVE FATHERS.

Evening Star, Issue 4244, 3 October 1876, Page 4

LIABILITY OF PUTATIVE FATHERS.

A decision of considerable importance, as affecting the liability of putative fathers of illegitimate children to contribute, under certain circumstances, to the support of their offspring, has been given at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Christchurch. The case may be thus stated :—A, having been adjudged to be the father of an illegitimate child, an order was made by the Court, directing him to pay a certain sum weeUy for the support of the child. In obedience to that order A does pay for some time, but afterwards ascertaining that the mother of the child had married since the order was made, he ceases his payments. A summons for disobedience of the order of the Court is obtained against A, and yesterday he ap peared to show cause. Counsel on his behalf contended that, as the mother of the child had married, A was relieved from further liability to maintain it, inasmuch as, according to English law (4 and 5 Wm. IV., cap. 76), and which was made applicable to New Zealand by the Act of 1852, the husband Waa bound to maintain his wife's children, whether legitimate or illegitimate. The Bench held that during the husband's abilip to maintain ike child, the putative i father cduld not be held responsible, and j the caujw shown was allowed, ,