ASSAULT ON SICK WIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18887, 9 December 1924, Page 12

ASSAULT ON SICK WIFE.

SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.

ORDER FOR MAINTENANCE.

The story of a man's brutal treatment of his sick wife was revealed when Thomas Albert Holt, aged 37, a resident of Panmure, appeared in the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., on a charge of having assaulted Elizabeth A. Holt, so as to cause her actual bodily harm. He was also charged with having procured liquor during the currency of a prohibtipn order. Mrs. Holt, whose face was disfigured with bruises, stated that she had three young children, aged five, four and one. A fourth was expected shortly. Her husband had been drinking heavily for three weeks. He came home on Saturday afternoon in a state of garrulous intoxication, and witness was nursing the youngest child. Ho asked her to get his mouth organ, it being a habit of his to play the instrument after he had been drinking. Witness did not get it, and accused followed her into the bedroom. She was crying, and this evidently annoyed accused, who struck her two heavy blows in the face.

Constable Thompson, of Ellerslie, said he found accused in the house in a halfdrunken condition. He denied having committed an assault, but admitted there had been domestic differences. Witness quoted from a doctor's report that Mrs. Holt was in a nervous condition, aggravated by her husband's intemperate habits.

Asked if he had an explanation, accused replied to the magistrate: "It's no uso making a statement. My wife fell and struck her head. I want a separation. She is a very nervous woman." Sergeant Powell: And very good reason to be nervous with you. There was trouble of this sort in your homo about a year ago. Mr. Poynton: He has a bad record. Warnings have no effect. Accused was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Dealing with a subsequent application for separation brought by Mrs. Holt, Mr. Poynton made art order for maintenance at tho rate of £2 103 a week, to operato on accused's discharge from gaol.