WORRIED WAR BRIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 254, 25 October 1919, Page 13

WORRIED WAR BRIDE.

I/EAVJtiS £I_E._- nuoiiaHi.. WANTS TO GO HOME. The troubles of a war bride occupied Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., at the Magis--trate's Court yesterday afternoon. • She asked for separation from her husband, Percy James Durrant, and a maintenance allowance. Mr. McLiver appeared for the vvife an* Mr. K. Singer for the husband. Evidence was given by Mrs. Durrant that they were married in England on the Bth October, 1918. Her husband was then, a member of the Expeditionary Force They arrived in New Zealand in July. Her" husband abused her occasionally in Englantlr^vhen; in- drink-a-id-wn-the. trip out left her while he played and "crown and anchor," Her husband did not go to see her _for- four days while she was in hospital on the ship. The doctor then ordered him to visit her three times a day. Just befora they arrived in Wellington, her husband '•gave her a good hiding." He came home drunk the first week they were in Auckland. She was getting her hat on to go down the road with her mother-in-law when her husband knocked her down flat on the floor. Her husband gave her another "good hiding" when she asked him to take her out one night. For three weeks he never spoke to her. She had left him and was now earning her living. Mr. Singer said as a matter of fact, Mrs. Durrant was given £8 when- they landed, and drew £9 of her husband's pay. He also bought her a cosjume. In answer to Mr. Singer, complainant said she was 26 years of age and ■had been married' previously when 17. Witness denied that she Jiad a bad temper, but admitted she bad thrown I a book at her husband. She bad told her husband that his mother was a liar. Mr. Singer: My* client is 23 years of I age, so it is not a case of a man l marrying a young girl. 'Mr. Singer said the fact was the woman was discontented and wanted to igo back to England. Both the defenI dunt and his father had,been on active service. They could prove that Mrs. ; Durrant had received fl7 during the last three months. At this stage of the proceedings Mr. Cutten intimated that he must adjourn 1 the further hearing- of the case and ordered that as the wife would have been away from him for three weeks, that the husband should, pending the resumption of the case, pay her 25/ per wei>k. . . •