UNDER THE BED.

NZ Truth, Issue 181, 5 December 1908, Page 6

UNDER THE BED.

Mason and His Missus.

■ Alfred John Mason, who descri&es him- , self as a laborer and has a" brother m. the | Telegraph Department, was charged m j Ghristchurch Magistrate's Court recently with being found at night on the premises of his separated wife, and was thereFore a rogue and a vagabond. It may not be generally known that when a separated couple agree to cohabit again that nullifies a iseparation order, and the husband is no' longer compelled to contribute towards the support of his grass widow. Solicitor Hunt, who appeared for the prosecution before Magistrate Bishop, claimed that the man should be punished for being illegally upon, premises. a It appears that on' election night fi ,and upon another: date also Mason obtained admission to. the house and 'remained on the premises with the -' object of compelling his missus to cohabit with him 1 . The woman, on election i night, remained out late, knowing that her husband was' on the premises, and at eleven o'clock he was' DISCOVERED "UNDER THE BED. Mason, when called, made am.; inconsequential statement. In defence of his'intimacy with his wife he said the missus approached , him * about the children, "i rang up my wife about the woman she was knocking about with," said Mason. She told him that their eldest girl was very ill at Mount Magdala. Mason revolted, "You have always barred me from seeing my children. Will jrou come up with me?" The wife consented to do so,' but subsequently Mason met one of his sons, who.said his- sister wasn't sfa bad. as his mother made her out to he. With regard to the actual charge, Mason said he went to his brother-in-law's place and said to the little children there, "Don't let Mrs Mason know I am here." Later, however, his wife came 1 m and called him put, and when he wouldn't go, she used disgusting rangjuage. His Worship emphasised the fact that these separation orders couldn't be set aside with impunity, and inflicted a nominal penalty of forty-eight hours with hard labor. ;