Dr Barnardo.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 15 January 1891, Page 2

Dr Barnardo.

A Th 3 claim made by a mother for the custody of her son led to a lawsuit between her and Dr i'arnardo, who had reclaimed him . The philanthrophist is a Protestant and the mother of the child was a Roman Catholic, hence the bitterness that has been raised. At the first hearing before the Judge, Dr barnardo came in for some very harsh remarks from the Bench, but having appealed against the decision, he succeeded in obtaining from the higher Court an exoneration for his conduct in the matter. However, he lost the guardianship of the child. This is an useful illustration of the absurdity of the law. Dr Barnardo, during his searches in the high-ways and byways of the modern Babylon, picks up a starving, forgotten, neglected bit of humanity, in the shape of this boy, takes him home, warms him, clothes him and feeds him out of grand charity, and teaches him a pure and wholesome religion. Some time afterwards his mother, finding him grown up so as to be useful, suddenly exhibits an interest in him and in his soul's welfare ! and finding an excuse, uses it, and tears the boy away simply by the unwieldly stupidity of tho 'law. The fight Dr Barnardo made was not so much for religion as to save the boy from his relations. Verily a philanthrophist needs his reward some day, to make up for the trials and troubles with which he is beset on earth. "We are exceedingly glad that the good namo of an excellent man has not suffered in this great outrage against common sense.