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EAGLEHAWK POLICE COURT.
Monday, 19th March,
(Before Mr McLachlan, P.M., and Mr C. Letheby, Mayor.)
Deserting His Child.—Christopher Balderstone was charged with deserting his child, Frank Balderstone, aged about two years. Mr Rymer appeared for Balderstone, who denied the child was his, but was that of a Maori named John McWilliams, a resident of Red Jacket Gully. It appeared, from the evidence, that when Balderstone and his wife, Maria, well known to the Police Magistrate, left Red Jacket and went to Talbot, they took the child to the Maori, who was willing to receive it, and left it with him, also L1 towards its maintenance. Subsequently, the child was found by Constable Cavanagh in a deplorable condition under a bush, near where the Maori was digging in the gully, and taken to the hospital, from whence it had been discharged cured about ten days ago. Evidence was given by Constable Cavanagh and a man named Ludlow, who had carted the things of the Balderstones on their removal to Talbot, that the Maori had said the child was his. The Bench said that Balderstone by living with his wife after he knew of her adultery had condoned the offence, and he must be looked upon as the father of the child in the eye of the law. Balderstone refused to take the child, and a warrant was ordered to be issued tor his commitment to gaol. The child was remanded for a week to gaol.
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