CUSTODY BATTLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 139, 14 June 1934, Page 20

CUSTODY BATTLE.

SURVIVED SUICIDE LEAP. THREAT ALLEGED. Allegations that Sydney Frederick TTalstead hud threatened to "fill hoi- full of lead' , were made by Mrs. Edna Kathleen Sleeinan when Halstead petitioned Mr. Acting Jrstioe Markell to make absolute a rule nisi for a writ of habeas corpus directed to Joan Miicgregor for the custody of Dorothy Jean ITu'stead, his four-year-old daughter. Mrs. Mai'gregor is the child's maternal gra n<l mother. The case reealk a tragedy of last yenr when Dorothy Joan Halstead. 2">, the child's, mother, committed sui'iilo by jumping with her child eighty feet into Hickson Road. Darling Harbour. .The child survived the fall. An extract of a note was shown to Mrs. Ma r, - gregor by Mr. Tracev (for Halstead). Tt was addressed to "Dear Sid." and wn« signed "Doris," and road: "I would rather koep on rowing with my mother than lose your company, if you wanted me." Mrs. Maegrogor wo-ild not mv that it was in her daughter's handwriting. Mrs. Macgregor said she had scon a note written by Halstcfid in rpnly to one of her dnusrhtef's notes. All it said was "Dron dead." Tho child i> at present,in the euro of a Mrs. Cicolini. at Upper Landsdowns. on the Manning River. • Mrs. Sleeinan .said in an affidavit that she was willing to adopt the child and permit Mrs. Maesrrtffor to live with her at her homo at Manly. Mr. Keegan (For Mrs. Macre^or) : You say in the affidavit that Halstoad came to your house, made an insulting gesture, and said to you. "If you move, I will fill you full of lead." Sleeinan: Yes. Why didn't you take police notion? — The police were called in, but I decided not to an on with it. The judge said that he would probably dismiss. Halstead's application, but he. reserved judgment.