WIFE STABBED

Evening Star, Issue 24116, 10 February 1942, Page 7

WIFE STABBED

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE MARITAL INFELICITY (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 9. The trial of 'William Weir, aged 20, a labourer, on a charge of attempting to murder his wife, Phyllis Rose Weir," at Otahuhu on January”l4 was commenced before Mr Justice Callan in the Supreme Court to-day. Alternative charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and common assault were also (preferred against the accused. Mr G. S. R. Meredith appeared for the Crown, and Mr Aekins represented the accused, who pleaded' not guily. Mr Meredith said the accused and his wife were married in November last year. They had lived together for only three weeks. After a quarrel the wife left a boarding house in Otahuhu. On January 14 the accused went to the house where his wife was living. She agreed to meet him that night at 7 o’clock, and when she refused to go with the accused into the Otahuhu School grounds he took a knife and stabbed her in the chest. Dr Guthrie said that Mrs Weir was admitted to the hospital with a serious wound in her chest. She was in danger of losing her life until the bleeding was stopped. She was in hospital for about 10 days. The wound penetrated three inches, and possibly four inches. Phyllis Rose Weir said she was 26 years of age. “ Our married life was not a happy one,” stated witness. “ About 5 p.m, on January 14 my husband came to the house and asked me to meet him in the school grounds, as he had) an important letter to show me. I agreed to meet him at the school gates at 7 p.m. When I met him I refused to go into the grounds, and asked him to show me the letter there. Ho pulled out a knife and stabbed me.” ‘ Witness said the accused half-carried her to the other side of the road. ‘‘ The knife was still in me, and ho pulled it out and threw it among some trees,” she addhd. Cross-examined by Mr Aokins, witness said that in 1937 she was-married to Harry Sterling. She lived three years with him. Sterling had committed Ihiganiy, and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. It was untrue that she had lived with him after lie came out. Witness had known Weir for about 12 months before she married him.

The accused, in evidence, said he knew Rose had been married) before he had been going with her. About six months before Sterling was released from gaol Rose and he had a “ split ” when he went to her parents’ home one night' and found Sterling there. The break lasted about a month, and after a scene at her home Rose said she would continue with witness again. That was about a month (before they were married. The hearing was adjourned.