MAINTENANCE CASES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 250, 18 October 1912, Page 7

MAINTENANCE CASES.

Mr C. C. Kettle had a number of applications for maintenance hefore him this morning at the S.M. Court. TEXPENCE HALFPENNY FOR A WEEK. W. M. White did not appear to answer his wife's application for separation and maintenance. _ Mr Singer appeared for the wife, who related a sad story, asserting her husband had slapped her in the face, caught her by the throat, and threatened to choke hen. Her husband said she was jealous of his sister. The sister was the cause of the trouble. Her husband had not been drinking lately. Up to last Christmas, although her husband drank, he was good to her. Last week he gave her IOJd. Mr Kettle, as defendant did not appear, granted tho application, and made an order for an allowance of £2 per •week. LOST CONTROL OF HIS HOUSE. Some serious cross-swearing occurred in a case in which T. 11. Evan's appeared in answer to his -wife's application for separation. -Mr- Haddow appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Hackett for the defence. Mrs. J. B. 41. Evans stated she had been married for IS years, and had eight children. There had been trouble for the greater part of their married life, but her husband 'had started to knock her about during- the last two years. Her husband always had a 'big jug of beer on .Saturday nights to carry him over Sunday at Richmond. Mrs. Evans gave a long recital of her experiences of married life, alleging that on one occasion 'her husband got into bed with muddy boots on. Mr. Kettle: If a man goes to bed wtth his 'boots on we may presume that he is probably intoxicated. In answer to Mr. Hackett, witness staged that her husband had not complained of extravagance in the house. had never had enough money from : him to be extravagant. He had complained of the boy coming home late at night and throwing on the floor a new suit of clothes. Her husband had never 'been convicted of drunkenness. He was a member of some institutions, and 'had won shields, but that was years ago. •She had £2 S/(5 per week from her children when they were working. The defendant deposed he 'had never been convicted or a-rrested for drunkenness. He did not drink to excess. He might have tta-ee pints a day. He hnd perhaps come home inebriated from a ball or concert. That had not occurred more than three times during the last two years. He had never gone to bed with his boots on. The trouble had arisen since a young woman came to 'board at the house without his permission. He objected to the children 'being out late at night and young fellows calling with taxicabs. He had also complained about debts that had accumulated. He never went home on Saturday night without taking a bottle of stout fo- his wife if he took a bottle of beer for himself. Mrs. Evans had 'been a good wife, but she was too lenient with the children. Mr. Kettle said this separating of people -who hod been married for years was sapping the foundations of the nation. Mts. Evans made it emphatic that she did not again -wish her husband'in the house. He replied that he did not wish to force himself on his wife, and his Worship adjourned the case sine die, the ■husband promising to keep away from home aud to pay not less 'Mian 15/ per week towards" the maintenance of his wife and children.