ALLEGED CRUELTY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19683, 29 July 1929, Page 7

ALLEGED CRUELTY.

MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (PRESS .ASSOCIATION TBLEGBAM.) AUCKLAND, July 27. The hearing of the charge against 'Peter Alexander Elmsley of denying his wife the necessities of life concluded in the Magistrate's Court this morning, when further%ridence of a sensational character was given. Accused's daughter Justine, aged 15V years-, said her mother and father never got on well together. Counsel: Did your mother ever say siif was starving? Witness: No, but she often said she was hungry. Asked if she had stuck needles into her mother the girl said yes, but not lately. Counsel: Why did you do that? Witness: Because she annoyed us. Further evidence of conditions at the Elmsley home was given by neighbours. One woman said she frequently planted food in a ti-tree for Mrs Elmslov, who was afraid to have it delivered to the house because of her husband. James Bruce, of Waerenga, farmer, said he recently invited the Elmsleys to his house to hear the radio. Witness told the story of a man who had sold his wife for a glass of whisky. Accused said: "J would sell mine for less than that. I would give him one to take her away." Detective Bickerdike said accused, when arrested, said he had always treated his wife well. Later he said he would like to make a statement, which was that his wife was a truthful and moral woman, and that anything she said would be the truth. Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial.