HUSBANDS AND WIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 253, 24 October 1919, Page 7

HUSBANDS AND WIVES.

Quite a large number of cases were set down for hearing at the Magistrate's Court to-day in which wives sought', separation from their husbands and i asked for guardianship of children and t maintenance allowance. The list was, * however, considerably reduced when , gone through, owing to the non-appear-. : ance of complainants in some cases,' ' which were struck out. In other cases i it was announced that settlements had < been arranged by counsel out of Court. | In one case it was stated that husband < and wife had been brought together t again through the efforts of a son who , had come back from the front and was' _ keeping his father off the drink. An : t evidence of what it costs the public! through husbands not maintaining their i■, families was shown by the fact that in j one case, four children were kept in a ' home at Onehunga, and in another case \ the wife said five children were being i kept by the Charitable Aid Board at the J present time. In both these cases drink, ing was alleged against the husbands. In one case where the wife asked for separation only, the husband stepped forward and said, "I agree." "Order made by consent," said Mr. E. C. Cutten, SJVI. Percy Frederick L. Hooker did not appear to answer his wife's application for separation and maintenance. Mr. Allan Moody appeared for complainant and asked for an order in the absence of | defendant. Mr. Cutten asked with what object? Mr. Moody said to attach £100 j the man had lent his brother. His £ Worship made an order for 40/ per ' week. I Mr. Moody next asked for an attach- ] ment order which-.was also granted. \ "STRONGER THAN YOU THINK." 1 "Are you two determined to settle i these two sisters?" asked Mr. J. J. Sulli- t van of Samuel Fenton, who appeared to answer his wife's application for separa- \ tion and maintenance. The man replied, : " No, the two sisters are down *on us." ' He was apparently speaking for his 1 brother-in-law, who stood up in Court i ( and himself. The case was one of the it ordinary type, drunkenness being alleged I i against the husband, as well as cruelty. |i This was denied by the respondent, j Ultimately, Mr. E. "C. Cutten, S.M., i granted separation, custody of the chil- ! dren, and made an order for payment of 40/ per week. Mr. Cutten remarked to the husband: "You are a little stronger J than you think you are." - Thomas Young did not appear to an- i swer his wife's plea for maintenance. \ Mr. Prendefgast appeared on his behalf, '. and said the husband had agreed previo- | ously to pay 30/ per week. Mr. Conlan, who appeared for the complainant, contended that 30/ per week was not enough to keep a -woman and a girl. An order for 40/ per week was made.