HARSH OFFICIALISM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 12, 8 July 1911, Page 5

HARSH OFFICIALISM

' A WOMAN'S SAD PLIGHT. By Telegraph—Press Association 1 Wellington, Friday. The extraordinary case of a refusal by the Customs authorities to re-admit . ' a former resident of Christchurch to > the Dominion is attracting attention \ here. A young married woman who was ill arid destitute in Sydney wae sent by the Sydney police to her reli- ' tives in Christchurch. Her relatives were quite willing to give .'the woman a home, but refused to enter into ft bond that she would not become a charge on the State, and 'on that ground: the Customs- Department, dc*clined to admit her. Investigations ' show that the case has very sad fea* Jures. The woman married a man in Usine«S here, and they went to Sydney: >*«*»• < Wli^'^e-hjiabandstunted out worth-, less, and virtually robbed her of what \ property she had. She fell ill, and.. went into a private hospital, and her husband thereupon deserted her, taking with him their only child. '..lk# ' Sydney police failed to bring back, ijio husband, and decided, that the Wt course was to send the woman to New Zealand, and inquiries showed that a good home would be found for her here. On that undertaking she was brought over, arriving on June 21. The outcome of the action of the Customs De« partment is that the woman has been sent back to Sydney, where she is destitute and has no friends.