RUNAWAY FIRE- FIGHTER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 120, 18 May 1912, Page 6

RUNAWAY FIRE- FIGHTER.

and solicitor's fee £2 2s,

WIFE TAKES ACTION,

An..echo of the sudden disappearance from Wellington, of. ex-Buperin-tetident. William (Stephen O'Brien, oi the Wellington Eire Brigade, was.heard, in the Magistrate's Coui-t on. Wednesday, when his wife, Jane Harding O'Brien, applied for separation, maintenance, and guardianship.orders. Mr. E, J. Eitzgjbbons,'said the substance of the information, which' was, laid under fch.9 Destitute Persons "Act,, was. that defendant had wilfully failed to provide for the maintenance of. his wife and child. His Worship had. power iv> make a, separation order when.it. was seen that failure to maintain was. wilful.: Mrs O'Brien had. been doing her best to find her husband. Plaintiff.' and her daughter haa beeji ; lsft absolutely destitute, De-

fendant had. left; at. the fire brigadestation, certain furniture of the value o£ £15- or. £20,. anji Mrs O'Brien de-sir.-ed; to- gKO that in order to furniskV rooms, and then seek work". J?lain,fcii£ stated, that her husband,, as. superintendent, of the brigade, re- : ceiv.ea. a. salary of £365 a year. Until recently ho contributed towards, the supf.ojcti of herself and daughter the sum of £12 10s, per month. The last payment due was about a fortnight ox .&&> ib arrears. She last heard! of. her husband about May 4th, when he wrote her a note saying, "Pre-

pare She had been told; that he- was seen on the Aorangi prior to the vessel. sailing for San Francisco. The invalid- daughter wast eleven years- old.: Jsf next December defei^d:aiTi; and -sKe would- have been •narried' i;thirteen' years. They had? been- liviiig together ,until^some nxoo or fcej*; mofrtl»s ago, when^a deed pF separation.was agreed to:.-. Defendant \ had made no provision for the main- [ tenance v of either hersef or child. .; Mr Fitzgibbons said he hacl heards, tljat the defendant had left with some* other woman. When the deed of separation was being made it vrsts ; tinderstood. or, rather, O'Brien had! ; not denied, that there was another ; woman in the case. The furnicure in ; the fim brigade station was lent by • Mrs O'Brien for her husband to fiir- ! nisn his own rooms with.

! " The Magistrate (Mr W. G. lliddell, ] S.M.) oidered that O'Brien should pay £2 10s per week towards the .; supTJorL of his wife and child. . De- ' , fendant would 'also be ordered to-pay ; I £■!> in rospect of past maintenance