WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 195, 15 February 1912, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen,")

A GAY LOTHARIO

COUNTRYMAN'. 1 -; MERRY CHRISTMAS

Mr.) Montgomery, who has charge of the New Zealand Government Agency in Sydney, has sought the aid of the Deflective Department in unravelling a mystery. Some time ago he was astonished to find a tremendous number of letters arriving at the New Zealand Agency offices addressed to a Mr. , which, it has turned out, was a fictitious name. The gentleman to whom they were addressed called for them and they were handed over to him by one of the officials. Mr.- Montgomery himself did not see the man. But recently/he received a note from the mysterious individual with it huge correspondence, asking that any further letters arriving for him should be forwarded to a suburban post office.' The letters continued to come, and were forwarded, as requested. Judging by the handwriting on the envelopes they were all from women or girls. It would be incorrect to say that Mr. Montgomery's suspicions were aroused: he was merely curious; and by an accident some light was thrown on the nature of

the correspondence. Many of the letters came by post; others were left mysteriously on Mr. Montgomery's table, on the counter, anywhere—all addressed to Mr. —The I other day one of these Jetters arrived '< by post. a"nd' there was'a postmark right' across the iftaihe of Mr. - —. Mr. Montgomery picked it up, glanced at it hurriedly, saw the words, "JJew Zealand Government Agency" on the envelope, and opened it. He was astonished to read : you. I am young (only 21), robust, fond of gaiety, and not without good looks. Will you make an appointment?" The girl's "naihe and address were, of course, attached. With the notion that the New Zealand Government Agency was being used for purposes for which it was never intended, Mr. Montgomery started to turn over the back files of { the papers. He ran over the advertise- ' ments, and was rewarded by finding an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald couched somewhat in these terms: "Advertiser, stranger to New South Wales, desires to make the acquaintance of young lady. Must be young, robust and fond of gaiety. Address, Mr. c/o New Zealand Government Agency, Sydney." In the Agency offices a young lady is employed who had a vague recollection of something similar having occurred t 1 nine months ago—that is, of a large !,. fiumber of letters in the handwriting of

twirls having arrived there addressed to gentleman. The letters filed in the J (jffice were 1 turned over, and, sure enough, i.on'e was found written some months ago by Mr. , having reference to letteTs he was expecting to be addressed to him, care of the New Zealand Agency. It was apparently an old game. But what does it mean? Is Mr. —— simply some gay Lothario, seeking the best-looking and gayest girl he can find, with a view to matrimony,-or is he engaged in a more nefarious practice? This is the question which Mr. Montgomery wanted to solve, and he accordingly placed tfre matter in the hands of the police.

ALL SORTS OF GIRLS. A number of the letters were opened. They were from all sorts of girls—tall and short, dark and fair, some out for mere fun, some out for business. One of the letters may be quoted: If you will write to the address given below I will meet you when and where you like. lam robust, healthy, and .my friends say lively, too, so I ought to suit you. At all events, if you are nice, as I suppose you to be, I shall try. Wear something in your coat so that I shall know you, because' it is not nice to be waiting about and speaking to strange men, is it? lam sure you would not like a girl who did that." Another, with a practical turn of mind, but evidently very anxious to please, writes:

' "I am answering your enquiry, seeing you wish to meet a young lady with view to matrimony. lam 21 years of age, medium height and figure, certainly robust, dark hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion, and also, like yourself, fond 06 gaiety. lam practically a stranger here, as I've only been out nineteen months, and in that time I've not made one iecent friendship. I suppose you are willing to exchange photographs. It would be more satisfactory for both sides. I presume you have sufficient means to keep a wife. Please pardon my bluntness, but its natural, isn't it, now? Should this interest you at all please write again, and give me more particulars. I will do the same I may as well add that I am musical, and.formerly in business. I have several testimonials I could send for your perusal. Trusting this will meet with your requirements." The police ran Mr. -to earth at a country town. Possibly his identity will be disclosed later. He told the police that he put the advertisement in the Herald as a joke, to find out how many and what class of women would reply to it. He received about forty replies (and there were about forty more that he did not get), and met four of the writers. "He is a single man, 40 years of age," adds the police report, "and has no intention of getting married. He was in Sydney for the Christmas holidays from December 23 to December 30." It would no doubt fare badly with this gay Lothario were some of the girls he had fooled to meet him now. Mr. Montgomery is very much annoyed about the business—p?rticularly the impudence of the man in having his letters addressed to the New Zealand Agency. He said that he thought the newspapers that published such advertisements

should first make some enquiries as to their bona fides—especially when purporting to be from a place like a big national agency.

NOVEL MORAL CODE.

A WOMAN AND HER PROTECTOR,

At the Auckland S.M. Court last week Annie McLeod was called upon to show cause why she should not contribute towards the support of her child in St. Mary's Industrial School. She deposed that she was the mother of the child and was divorced from her husband. There was no order for the custody of the children. Her husband had come to Auckland and taken one child from the Catholic Home, and put it into a Protestant one.

Mr. Kettle said the' father was legally responsible.

A young man stepped forward to speak for Mrs. McLeod, and said he was prepared to marry Mrs. McLeod, but would not contribute towards the support of the child when the father might come to claim it later on.

Mrs. McLeod said her husband took two children and left her with one. She asked: "If I marry this man, can I get this child out of St. Mary's Home?" Mr. Kettle: "I don't think they will let it out unless you marry. Why don't you marry him?"

iWitnsss: "I did not marry him at first, as I thought I would get to know liim a bit Letter first. I made ohe mistake ahd did not 'wtah to sake another. You liat® to live with a man before you know hiii." .

Mr. Kettle: "Save you made up your mind yet?" Witness: "I'll think it over." : The young man whose name did not transpire) again stepped forward and made a statement to the effect that the woman's husband took her from the Thames to Christchurch, where he left her starving with itwo children. She had to beg food for herself and children. Mr. Kettle asked the young man why he had not married the woman. Hhe replied that the' "young lady" was not willing. He expected to marry her in a few weeks' time. Mr. Kettle: "Do you think that fair to the woman?" The' Protector: "There are hundreds of couples living in Auckland together who are not married, and they seem happier when they are not married. I could point put dozens of couples, and they seem a jolly sight better than the married ones."

His; Worship said he would make an order against the mother for 5s per week.!

The 1 Protector: "She can't pay it, and I cannot, so there's an end to it."

The mother: "I might pay 2s 6d per week, but not 55." Mr. Kettle: "I tell you, you can pay it, if you like, and if the money is not forthcoming, further proceedings will probably .be taken." The Protector: "She will have to go to work for herself, and I shall go on my own."

Mr. Kettle remarked: "That is the strength of your respect for her," as the couple left the Court.