HUSBAND'S APPEAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24539, 23 March 1943, Page 4

HUSBAND'S APPEAL

£2OOO A YEAR ALIMONY PROCEEDINGS IN COURT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Monday The Court of Appeal is engaged in hearing an appeal by George William Reginald Kain, of Wellington, warehouseman, against his wife, Nellie Maria Kain, together with a crossappeal by the wife against her husband. The parties were married in 1912 and brought up four children and a stepson. In proceedings in the Supreme Court, the Court found that they had a happy relationship until November, 1941, when tiie wife returned from England, and the husband refused to live with her. In June, 1942, the wife obtained an order for restitution of conjugal rights, with which the husband had not complied The wife took proceedings by petition for the periodical payment of maintenance, and for security. In the course of his judgment, Mr. Justice Johnston said lie did not really know the cause ol their living apart, but he regretted that people after such a marriage should lintl themselves nil- j able to live together. After holding that through the great part of the past 30 years the income of the husband had been more restricted than at present in 1936 his income was £llOO. but during the last two years it was £7OOO free of taxation —His Honor decided that he should make an order for permanent alimony of £2OOO per annum. Subsequent to this order, the husband took out a summons for the possession of his house in Wellington, together with the furniture, household effects and chattels, and last month Mr. Justice Blair made an order in his favour for possession of the house and furniture. The appeal by the husband as to tho quantum of maintenance was withdrawn. The question of whether the Court could deal with the size of the maintenance order on the cross-appeal by the wife was reserved and argument proceeded. The appeal by the wife regarding possession of the house is also proceeding. The hearing was not concluded. WATER FOR AUCKLAND OPINION AT OTAHUHU METROPOLITAN SCHEME URGED The need for a metropolitan water supply was emphasised by several members at a meeting of the Otahuhu Borough Council last night during a debate on rehabilitation sphemes. The council decided to recommend the adoption of metropolitan schemes for an airport, drainage and water supply. Reporting on the question of possible sources of supply to the borough, Mr. A. Murdoch said that whatever scheme was adopted they were faced with the public opposition to expense and the inertia of some local bodies whose sources of supply appeared adequate to them. It began to appear that the Waitakere supply was inadequate to the demand. With all Auckland's abundant water sources that position should never arise. Most underground supplies were failing, and those at Otahuhu were no exception. "I think we have to come to the conclusion that we will get nowhere if it is left to the Auckland City Council," said tho Mayor, Mr. C. R. Petrie, M.P. He considered they should try to have a metropolitan water board appointed and to interest the Public Works Department. The delegates to the Suburban Local Bodies' Association were instructed to bring the matter to the attention of the other bodies concerned. PRICES FOR PIGS

STABILISATION MEASURE (0.c.) HAMILTON, Monday A statement that the Government's proposals for the stabilisation of pig and pig meat prices promised to be satisfactory was made to-dav by a leading auctioneer. He said the price of per lb. for first-grade baconer pigs would be about £4 14s a pig. This appeared to represent a fair return to producers. However, further comment must be reserved until producers' reactions could be determined. POWER FOR THE NORTH DEPENDENT ON SINGLE LINE The urgent need for greatly increased capacity in the Government's electricpower transmission system north of Auckland was emphasised by the manager, Mr. A. Main, .at a meeting of the Waitcmnta Electric-Power Board yesterday. At the rate at which loads would increase after the war, he said, the system could not cope with the demand. The comfort and livelihood of the public depended upon an efficient and continuous supply and the service was too important for complete dependence on a single-circuit transmission line. "At present," continued Mr. Main, •"the whole area from Henderson to Kaitaia is dependent upon a singlecircuit 50 kilowatt wood pole line. A fault on this line brings all electrical operations in Northland to a standstill." It was 350 miles from the far north to the nearest generating station and the possibilities of a serious breakdown were numerous. Mr. Main considered that the solution was the provision of a generating plant in the north, possibly in the Whangarei area, which would boost tlio existing supply. Although there were no facilities for hydro-electric works; he thought that a steam or oil-burning plant would be worth-while. He recommended that representations be made to the Government to proceed with the duplication of the main line north of Henderson immediately after the war and also to investigate all possible sources of power development in the north. NOT INFORMERS STAFFS OF HOSPITALS Asked by a member if it was a fact that a very young girl had been a patient in the maternity ward at the hospital, the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr. Allan J. Moody, said at the meeting of the board last night that the medical superintendent, Dr. Gilberd, had discussed the matter with him and he had ruled that it was not the duty of the hospital staff to act as informers concerning patients in the hospital. "Our job is to save the lives of patients and not to act as informers for the police." said Mr. Moody. "If we did act as informers we won Id probably drive those cases underground and patients might die instead of coining to us for treatment." Mr. Moody added that a leading medical jurist in New Zealand, to whom the question had been referred, had expressed the same opinion and had stated that there was no legal obligation on the board to advise the police concerning cases that came to the hospital. This also applied to abortionists. "Dr. Gilberd savs the hospital has to deal with 20 or <K) cases of abortion a week." added the chairman. The chairman s action in giving tiie instruction to the stall was approved.