SEPARATION SUIT

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1935, Page 4

SEPARATION SUIT

HUSBAND’S TEMPER AT FAULT (Per Press Association, Copyright). CHRISTCHURCH, July 8. A Sunday-School teacher and church worker had piaintenance, guardianship, and separation orders made against him, in favour of his wife in . the Magistrate’s Court this morning. Mr Levvy S.M>‘presided. The plaintiff was Selina Joyce Bernstein, who sought orders against Benedict E. Bernstein, of New Brighton, on the grounds, of cruelty-and failure to maintain.

Mrs Bernstein said that she was y present staying with ' her aunt. On U May' 20, she; and her husband were at home. He came home -from a bu..* day school ' teachers’ meeting, and', round her sitting in-front of the fire with her 11-months’-old baby on her knee. He told her to put the baby Wi bed, but she sqid that the child should stay out for. a while. Her husband put the fire out, and subsequently tore netdress off. Oit May 6, she continued,, her husband broke a bone in liei hana, by striking it with his fist. She had to get medical attention: On another occasion, he smashed the of a pram, and used to' lock her in the house, so that she could, not go Re' would come ■ home in a bad tem-- ■ per,rand if she would not quarrel with him,-he would throw a cup of tea or something else*.at her. Bernstein told the Court thal ins wife had done her. best to provoke his temper. She knew lie had a temper and when ever his temper was rising, she. never tried to curb him. Since his marriage things had been different to what he expected, and he had wondered why. Asked whether he was a, -God-fearing man, Bernstein replied that he took an interest in church work and was a Sunday School teacher. “You arc old enough to he able to control your, temper,” said the,Magistrate, in fixing maintenance at 15s a week, and granting separation and guardianship orders. “If there is any .. more of this nonsense, I murht have to exercise my penal powers, lie added.