Raising Kane.

NZ Truth, Issue 62, 25 August 1906, Page 4

Raising Kane.

A case m which the lodger played a prominent part m the troubles between man and wife occupied the attention of Mr R. W. Dyer, S.M., at the Police Court on Monday. Harriet Kane, who wanted a . separation or^ der from her husband, James Kane, said she had been married 15 years ago m bonnie Dundee. They lived there nine years, when her husimnd came on to New Zealand to better himself, and she also eventually came out and both lived at rarnell. Kane took to drinking heavily and ill-treat-ed her. She denied his allegations that there was anything between her and Alexander Steward, who lodged with them. Her husband was persistently cruel to her. A number of female witnesses gave evidence that Kane drank to excess and also used abusive language towards his wife. Steward was called and said Kane swore at his wife and told her to go on the streets. Replying to defendants solicitor, Steward denied

COMMITTING ADULTERY with Mrs Kane. Defendant, a marine fireman, said

he received an anonymous letter regarding his wife's conduct with Steward. He took no notice of it, but others came and after he x had received several missives, all to one purport, he thought he would watch the house and got another man to take his place on the steamer. On the second night of his watch he saw her leave home, and followed her to Newmarket, where she met a man. They •were walking off together when witness interposed and

iGAVE THE MAN A THRASHING. He forgave his wife this, but later on he came home earlier one morning than he was expected and met his wife coming out of the bedroom of the boarder of whom he had received-com-plaints. His wife said she had been making the bed m that room, but on going m witness found that the bed had not been made and the boarder was inside. He ordered her to send the boarder out of the house, but she declined and he then refused to ■ give her his wages unless she obeyed him. She still declined to send the boarder away and so Kane left the house himself. When he returned next trip all the furniture had gone and

THE HOUSE WAS EMPTY. Police Constable Donovan deposed that Kane, .m his hearing, had offered his wife money if she would send that boarder away ; but Mrs Kane ; ref used these conditions.

Another boarder at Kane's swore that Steward was

IN MRS KANE'S BEDROOM one. night under suspicious circumstances and he informed Kane.

The Stipendiary said the Act provided that if adultery was proved, no order * could be made, and he would not make an order after the evidence tendered, which amounted to saying that he believed Mrs Kane and Steward had been jruiltv of adultery. In a charge of assault against Kane by William Steward, Kane was fined 5s and costs £2 Bs, which appears to be rough on fireman Kane, m view of the adulteration of his domestic bliss, by the unjust Steward.