LEFT PENNILESS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 111, 7 April 1927, Page 9

LEFT PENNILESS

VMFE’S STORY OF DESERTION.

WELLINGTON, April d.

“I have not a relative or friend in the Dominion ;not a soul I can fall back on,” was the statement made in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday by a young married woman, Hannan Ida Aitehison in applying for a maintenance order against her husband, Samuel Henry Aitehison, of Wellingr ton, a Coroporation employee. The complainant said that she met Aitehison in England when he was nn officer in the Royal Flying Corps. There were three children of tho marriage. ‘‘He brought mo out to New Zealand and then deserted me,” she declared. She had been forced to go out to service to maintain herself, she said, and in spite of repeated requests that her husband should make a home for her in Wellington, he had refused to consider the suggestion. Recently, he had been left some money, and he proposed to make this over to his mother, who was already well-to-do, and had a large family to support her if necessary. The defendant had left her, and tiio three young children, penniless in Opunake last year in order to get work, and she had not heard of him for six months. Aitehison said that he had told his wife to wait until he could afford a home, hut she was always worrying him. He was in debt and was paying £4 a month for two of the children, who' were in a home. His salary was £4 5s a week.

Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M.: “What about the three young children? Has it occurred to you that you might sink your selfish motives for their sake ? Are you going to deprive them of a home and allow them to be brought up in £. State institution?” The defendant did not reply.. Mr Salmon: “You won’t attempt to make a home for your wife?”—“l told her I would do my best. I told her to wail;, hut she won’t.” Mr Salmon: “Mr Aitehison, you may have heard the expression, ‘an officer and a gentleman.’ Well, you may have been an officer, ”

An order was made for the payment of £1 10s per week.