"BANNED!"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 289, 15 May 1915, Page 7

"BANNED!"

A LAND AGENT'S PLIGHT. A self-styled blackballed man appeared in the Christchui-ch Magistrate's Court before Mr. T. A. Bailey, S.M., in the person of Archibald George Anderton Gledhill, who was proecoded against by Ethel Maud Stringer for the disobedience of three maintenance orders in respect of his children, Sybil, Daphne, and I'hyl'is. He was in arrears £1154 13s 4d, £llO 17s 3d, and £152 lis (id on the orders icspectivoly.

Gkdhill stood at the back of the court. "I am divorced from my wife," he said. "Yes; but you are not divorced from your children," commented the Magistrate. "They' have had about £6OO from me in cash. 1 am nearly 50 years of age, and I've !ost my license as a land agent," said Gledhill.

"You didn't have a license to 105e,," said the Magistrate. Olcdhill: "No, but I was just grovelling on. I was much better off when Mr. Day struck out the case three years •ago. During the last ten years they have had £(100. They got an order originally for £2 a week. They sold a property which realised £IBO in cash. They have taken everything from me, and I am absolutely a mined man. I speak sincerely. I don't know what I am going to do. 1 am ridiculed in the town. The theatres go for me, and 1 am blackbal'cd in everything I go in for. It is unfortunate I married into the wrong family. There is a feeling against me in elevated positions. 1 li&ven't taken to drink."

"You ought to leave the town," said his Worship. "That's what I've been thinking the last few weeks. I am beaten in the letting business. I don't know what the dickens I am to do. I've got 2s on me now. They crack a man when he's down and stamp on him. I am beat. I'm absolutely henpecked." "How do you expect your children to live?" asked his Worship. "They are being looked after by their friends," said Gledhill. "They have since been taught not to know their father. They have been taught that their father is dead. This talk about Archie Gledhill is the talk of the town. They want 'to send him to Sunnyside." I "Why don't you do something?" Gledhill: I'm done. I'm banned. His Worship: Simply because you can't get business as a land agent you won't do anything. Gledhill: I am in such a lovely financial position that I tell you I am in a hole. His Worship: How much do you make a week ? Gledhill: Nothing! His Worship: You'll have to do manual work. Gledhill: I can't do it. I've never done | it in my life.

His Worship: I'd go and break stones if I were in your position. I'd go and enlist. I'd go and do anything—look after lio-ses. If I couldn't got occupation as a land agent I'd go out on a farm —do anything. Gledhill: I think the best thing for me would lie to go to another centre. I am done here. Only I've got no means to go. The Magistrate: You could walk to Punrdin. C.ledliill: They have had a good deal out of me. There's no question about -itI cou'd have taken to drink earlier in the day and gone to the bad, but 1 haven't. I am divorced, and if I married again what chance would my children have'; . The .Magistrate: You would have to support thorn and the others as well. You will be sentenced to two months' imprisonment, the orders to be suspended for 14 days, and thereafter as long .is you pay 2s lid a week off each. You can earn that somehow.