‘DOMESTIC GRIEVANCE’

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 208, 30 May 1936, Page 15

‘DOMESTIC GRIEVANCE’

Watersider Charged With Disorderly Behaviour Pleas of guilty “under extreme provocation” were entered by Harry Washington Driver,'a, waterside worker, who was charged before Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday, with striking a man in Courtenay Place and with behaving in a disorderly manner in Kent Terrace. Sub-Inspector C. E. Roach said that Driver was living apart from his wife who, on the night In question, attended a dance at the Oriental Dance Hall, in Courtenay Place. Driver saw her in compan’y with a man named Houghton and asked him what he was doing with his wife. Houghton made no reply and Driver struck him and knocked him over. He then went into the dance hall and as a result of what he said to her, his wife left the hall alone. Driver followed her and used such bad language and made such insulting allegations against her that she slapped his face. Driver then struck at her and she went into a telephone box to ring for the police. When they arrived they found Mrs. Driver with a black eye. There was apparently a domestic grievance between the two, but they were legally separated and he should have left his wife alone.

Driver’s explanation of the disturbance was that he was annoyed at Houghton’s going about with his wife. He had seen his wife in night attire in Houghton’s room and tackled Houghton about it. H e had seen rod and had struck Houghton.

The magistrate: "Did you abuse your wife and call her names?” Witness: "I just told her what I thought of her. - I never struck her.” Did you use bad language to her?— T won’t say what I said; I don’t want to show her tip in court. On the charge of behaving in a disorderly manner. Driver was fined f2 with costs 22/-, and witnesses’ expenses 16/-, and on the other charge he was convicted and discharged. Payment is to he made at the rate of 10/a week.