STRANGE MAINTENANCE CASE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 73, 19 December 1919, Page 6

STRANGE MAINTENANCE CASE

WIFE LEFT TWENTY YEARS AGO. By TeleeraDh—Pre6B Association. Timaru, December 18. A maintenance ease having unusual features came before Mr. ;M'Lean, S.M., to-day. A retired farmer named Patrick I'ahey was sued for maintenance by his wfc, whom he left in. Melbourne with four children' eighteen years ago, and come to New Zealand. For a year or two he wrote to her, and sent small sums—tho wife eaid only £2. Ho also asked her to come to New Zealand, but sent her no money for tho passage. She replied that she would come if he sent the passage money. Since theji she had heard nothing more of or frow him until recently, and had to get hyr own living by washing and charing, Sho had suffered in the influenza epidemic, and a doctor advised her to giro up work if she could.

Defendant admitted that ho hftft in War Loan stock, and .£1650 oj\ .mortgage, and liad , bought the house to occupied in Tiinai'u, lvie income being ajjout .£1 per week. He had sent nothfoff to his wife for fifteen years. He ceuifl to New Zealand with his wife's consist, nnd would have made n homo for UK' if she had come over. He did not wisli her to live with him now. A cousin of the defendant gave en> denco that dhe had all along disapproved of the defendant's neglect of his will , nnd children, and tried to tret tho wife'n address, but had only recently succeeded. It was due to hor that the wife wai hero now to bring action. The defendant had always liad a housekeeper, and some times a housekeeper )With children Witness had no grievance against thi defendant, except his neglect of his wi&t and children.

Tito Magistrate made an order for £'21 in respect of past maintenance, £1 15s. per week henceforward, and a deposit of £200, or. find a bond for ,£2OO to ensure 'compliance. —