BABY FARMING.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1923, Page 1

BABY FARMING.

“A .MOST PITIFUL CASE.” i .MAGISTRATE SENDS WOMAN TO CAGE FOR A .MONTH. • IT MUST BE STOPPED.” AUCKLAND, March 24 • This is one of the most pitiful eases 1 have ever handled,” said -Mr Matthews in the Police Court this morning when a- refined looking woman was charged with failing to register an illegitimate child. She had gone to great pains and expense to keep the birth of the child from her ac<|iiaintnnccs, said counsel, ami had .suffered more than one could say. Sim was a woman of delicate feelings. ami had refrained from taking in tion against, the father for maintenance, in jiur-intiii e of her policy of avoiding publicity at all costs. Her trouble had been rewarded ill that not one of her friends or acquaintances knew, even at the present time, that the child had teen born, but the ordeal was such that il had left her tilterl.v crushed and broken. BROUGHT THE CHILD TO AUCKLAND. She had brought the child to Auckland shortly after it was born, and in reply to an advertisement had taken it to -Mrs Winifred Watson, who agreed to maintain and keep it. The woman paid her £'4o for this service, but subsequently she found that Mrs Watson had given the child to another woman, Airs Annabclla Alabbs, to whom she had to pay 111 per week. It was a very sad ease, and counsel 1 hoped that the reporters would not I publish all the facts, since the poor < woman had already suffered more than I she could bear. < Mr Boynton said lie could make no 1 direction to the Press, but lie could 1 make a suggestion. He hoped the ' name of the child’s mother and eer- 1 tain other facts would not be pub- 1 lished. J v Airs Winifred Watson was next I charged wiln receiving the infant, and a failing In register her home in the I manner prescribed by law. She plead- il oil guilty, and admitted having re- i reived two sums of money—Cl3 and! L'2-’i—from the mother, for the safe t keeping of the baby. She bad adver- j t tKod for someone to care for it, and ! t bad received a reply from .Mrs Alabbs, j f who took it, and was given L'l,l by j i accused, in weekly inslalmcnl sof CM. j <! Accused bad not had tiic child in her i h keeping for more than a short time. | c

“That’s baby farming, pure and simple. 1 won’t have il!” said .Mr Boynton, emphatically. "Since Airs Dean was hanged some lime ago there has been a lull in Hu's serf of thing for a guild while. Acs, it’s baby farming till rigid, and we can't allow people to carry on this sort of thing. Look til the fact- disclosed in the recent rase. One can't say wliat it would lead to. It's not as if she didn't know that a home bad to be registered. .She had kepi a home before, and knew all about it. I'll give this woman one mouth in gaol. Anybody else will get the lilliil.” Airs Watson, wringing her blinds: Wliat shall I de/ ' On a charge of failing to stamp a receipt for the money. Mrs Watson wa> lined LA. in defaiill li Jays’ imprisonment. ' DID NOT T'N DERST.V NI Mrs Annabel!:! Mabb-, a new a.rival from the Old foilillry, also pleaded! guilty in having failed to register her I lioms after Diking in the baby. Her ex- j ruse was that she did not understand; wliat v. as required of her. As soon as she knew she had registered her home. I She had taken rare of the child from j August Ist lo November 7tli. It was slated that the child was now j in another licensed homo. A lady of- j lieial slated that Mrs Mnldi- had taken | good care of ilie child while it was in | her keeping. His Worship said Alls Mabb»'s offence was not so serious, and being a new arrival, she perhaps did not understand her position. Also, she had Liken goed care of the child. All these facts would he considered. She Mould bo tilled Ids, and would he given one month in which to pay. If she name before the court again on a similar charge she could expect no leniency. The mother was convicted and discharged fur tailing to register the child.