MOTHER'S FIGHT FOR A CHILD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 301, 16 December 1908, Page 4

MOTHER'S FIGHT FOR A CHILD

VAIN JOUUNKY FliOM NE \\ ZEALAND. When a mother hands over her child someone else's keeping it i„ only natural that as the child advances in years thfoster parents become attached to it. \ cry often it Impels that the mother ultimately wishes to regain 1,,.,. ~i,j|j and then trouble ensues. A case of this character has ju.,t en to light at I'ly' mouth, and the details are dramatic. It appears that a .Mr and .Mrs Hurley emigrated to New Zealand some years ago, giving their baby gj,.| j Mto ( he ha ,= , s ' ol ills Hurley, her aunt, ilr Barley's sister. Their allairs prospered in the. ( uluny, and they wrote to their relative, asking that the girl, now nine years old, be sent out to them. The letter came as a shock to the little hous.. in i'lymoutli, for a strong attachment had grown between the child and her aunt. After much lieart-scarcllhn' tin. aunt decided that she could not part with her charge, even for her mother—and once her mind was made up on the point no subsequent entreaties and expostulations altcctcd her resolve to maintain the right of possession. Then the mother set out on the Journey of 12.000 mdes to fetch the little girl. Hiss Hurley, however, received warning of 31 rs Hurley's arrival in England; mid when the. mother readied thjo house hi PJvniluutli sli" loiiinl (In. door locked ami barricaded "gainst her.

I'or a week the motln-i- watched ill,, house f(»r Hi,. child, and ,„„. „„„.„■„,„ made a desperate move. Miss liurlev ns usual, accompanied the child to,, and tmin school. As they emerged from the school about midday, the mother rushed out of an ambush, snatched the child up, and, before; tile aunt could recover from her surprise, jumped 'with her! daughter into a cab in waiting. Tin aunt ,Tlatnral!y |eoncluded that their destination was the railway station. ■She speedily collected a little force of neighbours and friends, and headed a pursuit. Her force reached the station before the Irani was due to leave, and a scene that is described as almost a free fight ensued between male friends of Ibe parties. At the end of it the aiinl, vistorious, carried oil' the child in triumph to her home again. .Mrs ISurlcv. thus defeated, proceeded (~ London,'mid il is understood she will now lake leal proceedings lor the recovery of her daughter.