EXEMPTION SOUGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23160, 5 October 1938, Page 22

EXEMPTION SOUGHT

MAINTENANCE OFFICER ' f MADE A CONVENIENCE OF" ~ ADJOURNMENTS OF CASE [from our own correspondent] "• HAMILTON, Tuesday An unusual application was made before Mr. 5.%, Paterson, the; Hamilton Police Court, when the maintenance officer, Mr. M/McCormick, asked for exemption from taking any further action ha a case in which he had taken proceedings against a man for. failing to maintain his wife. Mr. McCormick pointed out that an order for 15s a week was made 'against the defendant in July, 1927, and that the arrears now totalled £403. The case, had been before the Court repeatedly during the last two years, and the Bpeaker said that, owing to the intervention of solicitors in seeking adjournments, he had been made a convenience of. _ ' " v" ;V" ;» ;Mr. F. A. de la Mare said that the defendant had been.- out of work . for. some time, and the' complainant agreed' that most of the arrears were irrecoverable. Counsel contended that the maintenance officer was there to be made a convenience of. All the complainant wanted, said counsel, was security for the payment of future maintenance All thp solicitors were concerned about was that the best arrangements in the! ( interests of both parties should be made. ' The magistrate said that when the maintenance officer issued proceedings he was in control of the case, and there should be no interference. He adjourned the proceedings f6r a fortnight, - and said he would finally deal with the matter then. " :;v •••'