"COULDN'T TREAT ME WELL"

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 195, 19 August 1927, Page 3

"COULDN'T TREAT ME WELL"

WIFE'S ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HER HUSBAND. COMPLICATED LEGAL POSITION. An appeal against a Magistrate's Court decision which, as 35r. Justice Herdman remarked, amounted to a rehearing of the caw, occupied tlio attention of judge and counsel in tlie Supreme Court yesterday afternoon. The appellant was William John Swaysland (Mr. 'Inder) and the respondent Elsie Laura Swaysland (Mr. linger). It *»s staled that re-ponder * left her home jn Napier in August. 392*. with a friend. Mrs Burton. She bwamjH and had a serious operation, from which she had not yet rorovcred. Recently she brought a claim acainst her husband for maintenance, and he took proceedings at Xapier for restitution of conjugal rights, and the order not being obeyed, the husband had instituted divorce proceedings. When the maintenance application -was heard the magistrate held that the husband had failed to provide his wife with adequate maintenance, and that she had reasonable cause, on account of the state of her health, for refusing or failing to live with her husband. Yesterday Mrs. Swaysland said she did not think her health would permit her to return. She alleged that her husband had not treated her kindly and had left /narks on her throat. Mr. Inder produced a letter written by witness early in 1926 in which she assured her husband she would certainly come home even if she had to come : n an ambulance. The letter was in affectionate terms. His Honor: Supposing your husband satisfied no that he could provide you with a home, would you go back? Witness: I could not work for him. and he would not like that. He would knock me about. But supposing he were to treat you well?—He couldn't treat me weil. He has never treated me well, and I know he won't. He has never wanted nc, and I know he won't. Replying to Mr. Inder witness denied that the trouble had l>een caused by the influence of her friend Mrs. Burton. Giving evidence the husband said he and his wife lived happily together tin", il she left home for Hamilton. She Cook about £100 worth of goods from 3iishop in Xapier to stock Mrs. Burton's shop in Hamilton. He was anxious for | her to return and he ««■ prepared ti I find her a home at his uncle's house. I __