BLIND HUSBAND ALLEGES CRUELTY BY WIFE

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 October 1948, Page 3

BLIND HUSBAND ALLEGES CRUELTY BY WIFE

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Intolerable home conditions caused by his wife’s incessant cruelty had made him leave the house and seek another shelter, alleged a blind and crippled man, who asked for a maintenance order against his wife in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington yesterday. Frederick Robert Hicks, who made the application, claimed that he led a dog’s life at home, had to have his meals in the basement, sometimes went without food for a whole day and was continually abused and assaulted by his wife. He left in 1942, at which time he was crippled and partially blind. Gwendoline Elizabeth Hicks, opposing the orded, denied that she had ■treated her husband badly. . She admitted she did not want him about the house and would not agree that she had assets amounting to £ 12,000. “I am not satisfied that he deserted his home,” said the Magistrate, Mr J. S. Hanna, in confirming an earlier order giving Hicks £ 1 10s weekly. “He left his wife and would have been glad to return, but a home was refused him. She had ample means and he was left to battle on as best he could. He has no resources now and is in a pitiable plight.”