IS MARRIAGE A FAILURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14326, 23 March 1910, Page 8

IS MARRIAGE A FAILURE.

' STORY OF DOMESTIC TROUBLES. HUSBAND AND WIFE IN COURT. Tub story of a husband's alleged cruelty was told in the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., by Ada Jane Bennett, who applied for a separation order from her hufbaud, Henry Bennett. She said that they had known each other ever since they were children in the Old Country. Her husband had come out to New Zealand when he was about 18 or 19 years of age,* and then returned to England, and married her. Lately he hud been guilty of such acts as hitting, her, using bad language to her, and on one occasion he spat in her face. Moreover, if she did" not get up early enough to suit him on Sunday mornings he would theaten to throw water over her, arid in various ways he had made her life a burden, and dispelled her dreams of happiness. He had become morose and unsociable, and had even gone so far as to hint that she had been running after young policemen. He. had also accused her of infidelity. ." •.■ -■..:-:.-. During the recital of the wife's sufferings, the husband burst into tears, which caused Mr. Kettle to remark that he had no sympathy with, a man crying on such occasions. "It is ridiculous," ho said. :.' Tho husband, in his;evidence, denied having .struck his wife, or having ill-used her in any way. He admitted having received a letter from the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, • warning him to discontinue his '• cruelty. The statements made-in the letter were, however, untrue, he ; aid. Bennett admitted that he had frequently gone home drunk on Saturday night. When lie .did that his wife would kick up a row. She was bud tempered and hysterical. .; : "-"■-■ •■•;';" ' ; . .' • ■> . ~- " '. Mr. Kettle'.': Well, what do you expect, a woman to do? Do you expect her to take it quietly and say nothing? Witness: No, I don't. Mr. Kettle: Do you ray you are a model husband except for that? 7 Witness: No. I am as good as the rough, but better than a good many of the smooth. The trouble was that he wanted to go into the country, and his wife wanted to stay in town. Mr. Kettle: I daresay she trembles to go into the country with you. I can see quite plainly that drink has been tho cause of all this trouble. I propose- that you get to work somewhere and keep off the drink. After some discussion, the husband promised to abstain from intoxicating' liquor for 12 months, and to go and got work, and keep away from his wife and child until he pulled himself together. He agreed to pay lfis wife 10s a week in the meantime, and 5s a week towards the support of his child. . .■•' ; ES — =