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Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 867, 8 May 1871, Page 2

An individual well known to sportin" men, named Frederick Hamilton Dicker" was summoned to the District Court, Melbourne, by a woman named Emma Jones for the maintenance of an illegitimate child, a boy, about nine years old. The defendant said he was willing to support the boy, but wanted to have him in his own charge, in order to bring him up in a manner suitable to his position. The woman gave evidence to the effect that she had lived in Christchurch, New Zealand with the defendant Dicker, or Hamilton, as his name was generally given, and he had several times written asking her to join him. She had never been living with a man named Grant in New Zealand^ nor had she written to the defendant acknowledging that such was the case. She lived only with her child. The defendant also gave evidence, but not quite to the same effect. He had he said, lived with the Avoman fourteen or fifteen years, and she had borne his name and passed as his wife. After living with her in Christchurch, he was obliged to come to Melbourne, and left her in a comfortable position, and though he wrote twice to her to join him she did net come. Afterwards he discovered thai she was living with a person named Grant, but on Grant being burnt out, and becoming consequently unable to support her, she came over to Melbourne to get money from witness. He was anxious to take the child away from a woman who had so disgraced his name. He denied having led the woman astray in the first instance, and said that he, when young and foolish, had taken her when her own brother had turned her out of doors Mr Call, P.M., decided to make an order against the defendant to pay 10s a week for the support of the child to the woman, aid said that if she did anything showing her to be unworthy to take charge of the child, the order would be cancelled, and the defendant, by applying to the judges or the Supreme Court, could have the child taken from her care. Mr Kidston who appeared on behalf of the defendant' said he would recommend hia client to take that course.