A FAMILY FEUD.

NZ Truth, Issue 159, 4 July 1908, Page 6

A FAMILY FEUD.

B&fctp^lai at Heathcote Valley* ..LtiOiv- ;"•. ■-"• — — • . : ■■' . - - -ft"' ''.'■'' The- feud between the Wilkins and: Grafiam fanning m Heathcote Valley, has ..'been ragin^for some time now. and is ■apt to break out at the smallest provocation. Young' Graham married old Wilkins's daughter, and m the last police l«ase published; m "Truth"- the old boy; ,iwas changed ; with ; hurling ' sulphurous language at his daughter, her husband, .and an; elderly, retired person, who took, the young woman to amusements, and; . whose relationship with the ..■. indiscreet female caused -..the^uarents. extreme .♦ pain. Father arid mother went into the box and told a most shocking tale of the de-. gravity of their, offspring, and were re-; proached by Solicitor Donnellv for slandering their own:- child. Whereat iWilkins said he courted publicity to put a stop. 1 to tbe conduct of the licentious man alxeadv mentioned. ■ ■ : . " .The most .recent disturbance between the two., families arose over a paltry, happening; but the principals dragged Each other into the publicity of the SM. TCourt to wash the .'dirty family linen. Joseph Graham, a young man, was charged by Matilda Wilkins with assault-, ing and beating her thirteen-year-old; , 'daughter^.. Rbjse, so fat back as Saturday. April 11- _a_t. The grim lady stated that ., her husband was a /»lasterer. { ;arid Graham resided close by. She .knew jt^jaoth ing about the actual assault, she her lawyer, Mr Leathern, but could recall -what the; children had com- 1 i^^Mned about. .when they- returned to the a ' In reply '•' to •Mr Donnelly. . Mrs . Wikins W _aid Graham was no relation of hers; Jf She would be sorry if it was so. His if" brother had married the daughter of Mrs tWilklns, and she objected to the way m which he was disgracing the yourig wor ■''.. anahi ". ■}, . '. _^.~' "MY DAUGHTER IS "A DISGRACE :TO ME;" /■ Affirmed Mrs Wilkins, with bitterness. . ;• Mr Donnelly: You shp-id not slander -your own child. v -. "".' ■ .' ■ Little Rose Wilkins stated that on -the ;' idate mentioned/ m the inionhation. she 1 [was wheeling; a praai down the road. In company with her small sister, when Graham came. up o» his bike, and calling ■her- "a little sod, ?i tried to run .her % : /down, The machine iust tipped .the wheel ":;•" **-iof the pram. - ; — * — - r rc--.^*r Donnelly, the jriirl said ; mother f_nd f _(. her diin' t like Graham - and she ..flidn't patT far him herpelf. Eva Wilkins, who looked about nine. Save corroborative evidence. Joseph . Graham, giving evidence m his {Own defence, said he was riding on the same side as the girl with the pram. ' y.'and turried outwards to -avoid her when s aie pram across his /^^ißna he was. obliged to rideein the >*to get clear. There .was' no col' A He explained, -that- his brother •*Tf|irri.ed to a daughter of Mrs JWil'^d there was; considerable bad .*twccn themi. , Aly to Mr Leathern, Graham' said 'lipid Wilkins on , the same. night, 'dividual waved a -copy of "N.Z. with the versified "remark :— . |m Norton is the 1 * man ; 7 %Jr» if you can."ferly personage added: It's L next. He'll have you." •is Graham,, tbe ririuch-dispnssed Jf defendant, was walking , about ids ' behind the bike when the (happened. He said there „,jWas ? little girl, and she ran ,tbe ; <ront of the machine. Bench dismissed the case.- ;