Unknown infant found in doorway

A scene in  the Wilkin Valley, Makarora, at the head of Lake Wanaka. — Otago Witness, 19.4.1916
A scene in the Wilkin Valley, Makarora, at the head of Lake Wanaka. — Otago Witness, 19.4.1916

The duties of a magistrate are many and varied. The other day (the New Zealand Herald states) Mr F. V. Frazer, S. M., had to provide a name, fix a birthday, and select a religion for the infant who was found in a doorway at Mount Eden recently.

The police were unable to ascertain any details regarding the child. With Mr Jones, of the Charitable Aid Board, and the matron of the Door of Hope, Mr Frazer settled down to decide the momentous questions mentioned. Dealing with a name, it was decided to make delicate allusion to the borough where the child was found, and add the Christian name of the Mayor of the borough.

The next difficulty was to fix a birthday. The child was found on March 20. A doctor said it was 10 or 12 days old then, so Mr Frazer decided to split the difference and settle March 9 as the official birthday.

If any particular religion had been selected, for the child, it might have been said that prejudice had been shown, so it was decided to settle this question by chance. Eight strips of paper were accordingly torn up and the names of the eight principal denominations were written upon them.

They were then placed in the magisterial hat, well shaken, and the matron of the Door of Hope drew forth the fact that the child should belong to the Church of England.

Some doubt was expressed as to the propriety of settling a question of this sort in such a manner, but it was felt that it was the only sensible way of dealing with the matter. The child was then committed to the Auckland Industrial School.

■Sir, - I should like to draw the attention of the public to what I should term a most unpatriotic action on the part of the business men of Dunedin. I understand that the authorities have recommended, and rightly so, that the dominion hold Anzac Day, April 25th, as a holiday to commemorate the great heroism of ‘‘our boys''.

It is quite evident that a few pounds in the pockets of some of the business men of Dunedin are more to them than the lives of their fellow creatures, as I understand that they refuse to close their warehouses on that day.

I think everyone will agree with me when I say that it is the ordinary working man who has to pay every time, and I think it is high time something was done to show these men that real patriotism does not merely consist in putting a stray penny in a collection box now and again.

I should also like to add that these same men do not close their warehouses either when ‘‘our boys'' are going away or coming back, although they are particularly asked to do so by the mayor of the city.'' - I am, etc., A True Patriot.(We have received another letter in substantially the same strain as the above. - Ed. ODT.)

■Despite the many gloomy prophecies which were prevalent some 18 months ago as to the effects of the war on the progress of the city, there is ample evidence of faith and enterprise on the part of our commercial men.

Many fine new buildings have been erected during recent months, and some existing ones have been greatly improved. Amongst the latter has been the transformation into a large motor garage of the premises formerly known as the Jubilee Stables, at the corner of Crawford and Manor streets.

For some time past Messrs Cossens and Black, the well-known engineers and iron-founders, have been undertaking the mechanical part of motor car and lorry repair work, the execution of which has been rendered possible through the firm possessing the machinery and plant necessary for the purpose, and to increase the facilities for doing this work the firm has found it imperative to have at its disposal a large garage.

- ODT, 19.4.1916.


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