IS LIFE WORTH LIVING?

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5512, 11 December 1929, Page 4

IS LIFE WORTH LIVING?

SPEECH FROM DOCK. SOLILOQUY AT SUNRISE. To the Nottingham magistrates a well-known lecturer, psychic student, and expert labour debater related in the course of a dramatic outburst from the dock how he propounded to himself the problem “Is life worth living ?” Described as a warehouseman, oi no fixed abode, Frederick Reginald Melton, 75, was accused of running away and leaving his four children chargeable to the guardians. Melton has written an intriguing work on spirit telephony, and has brought to the notice of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle psychic and spiritualistic matters. On August Bank Holiday he disappeared from Nottingham, and left a. letter in which he indicated that he intended to commit suicide. The guardians, however, issued a warrant for ’his arrest, and when accused returned to the city on October 11 he was taken into custody.

After evidence had been given that accused’s children had cost Ithe guar.dians £490 Melton made his speech from the dock. He explained that he was passionately fond of his children, and when the guardians informed him that they must come out he wondered what he was going to do. Melto n continued : “I sat alone in the house, asking myself ‘ls life worth living V I pondered carefully, for this was no erratic movement —no bolting, as has been suggested. I said, ‘Life is not worth living. You know how to take the passport for the next existence.’ As a chemist. I prepared one of "thO'se nice little passports that you carry in your waistcoat pocket. Then I thought, ‘There will be the horrible business of an inqhest. You will give a lot of trouble to your friends.’ I decided to go off quietly and slip off into the next world. I went to Leigh Woods, Bristol, one of the most wonderful spots under God’s sun, on the: south side of Clifton Suspension Bridge. As the sun rose I was in the woods pondering, with the prussic acid, in an acute form in my hand. Wlbat are you going to do ?’ I asked. You are old, it is true, but you are virile and healthy.’ Then I said, ‘Don’t be a coward. Be a man ! Fight tihenji all, and let them do what the devil they like.’ I have been fighting ever since. I put the paper back into my pocjket. I did not run away to desert my children, but to preserve them. lam jgoing to keep them there until I am in a position to offer them the protection they have had for so long. Melton, who spoke of the kindnees which he had received from the police ?, was sentenced to seven days’ imprison - ment in the second division.