DECREE DEMANDED

NZ Truth, Issue 510, 27 March 1915, Page 8

DECREE DEMANDED

Mrs. Menzie's Miseries Splitting up the Family The Boys Strolled Back to Ma. Monday morning Baw his Honor, Mr. Justice Hosking don his horsehair and silk, and then occupy the box-seat at the Auckland Supreme Court, to listen to anything that might be doing. Elizabeth brought "Costs" Dicky Sin---ger along to help her tell all about Alex and HIS DREADFUL DOINGS. As Alex did not appear, Elizabeth had matters all her own way. Elizabeth McKenzie, daintily dressed m light green, and -wearing a black hat trimmed with a similarly colored ostrich tip, said she was spliced to Alexander In IS7S, and since then they had sent the census up five. Alex and 'Liza had chiefly flown their banner m Auckland and, the Thames, and lived together till September 1908. At that time they had the family arguments m Grey-street when Alex was wharf lumping. 'Liza was running a boardinghouse as she had to maintain herself and olive branches. He used to work, but spent his earnings m booze, breaking the monotony at times by trying to strangle her, and generally playing soccer with her on the floor. He would put the children out of the house and thenjock her m a room and illtreat her. His Honor: How long were you m Grey-street when this conduct began? — About a year. "Costs" Singer: And owing to this treatment you left? — Yes. What became of the children? — I took the two girls and he had the three boys. What happened to the boys? — They ran away from him at the end of two years and came back to me. And for the last six years you have been maintaining yourself? — Yes, he has not- sent me a penny. His Honor: Now, when you left what happened? — He laid me up for a week and I told him this sort of thing could not go on and offered to provide for myself, providing he kept to j his own room and J GAVE UP THE DRINK. What did he say? — Ho would not agree to it and sold up the home. When? — Immediately after this talk. What did you do when he sold the home?— l went to live with my sister, taking the two girls with me. I told him if he wouldn't provide for the children I could not afford to keep them all. After you went to your sister what did you do? — I went to work at the C.A.C., and took a room. Then I took ill. Did your husband keep you when yqu were ill? — No. What did you do next? — I took over a house and kept boarders. Is that what you are doing now? — Yes. During the time you have been away from your husband, have you made any request for help? — No. • . •Mr. Singer: 1 And honover made any offer?-*— Ho told me he would rather go to gaol than contribute a penny to myself or children. : His Honor: But he did keep the three boys? — Yes, m a style. They had no clothes and wore hungry. Kenneth Morrison McKenzie, eldest son of petitioner, said he had seen his father TRYING TO STRANGLE MA and generally knocking her about. When Kenny' and his brothers went to live with their dad he did not give up the booze. They went to stop at a boardinghouse, but the lady of house emptied them out into the street. They then went to "bach" but pa did not feed them sufficiently, so Kenny and his brothers stalked back to ma. It was just about Fleet Week (August, 1908) when the home In Grey-street was broken up.

His Honor said the point about which there may be some doubt was, whether the husband had habitually failed to maintain the wife without just cause?

Lawyer Singer pointed out that the man had stated ho would rather go to gaol than support the family.

Elizabeth was placed back In the box and said that Alexander had sold the home up over her head, and It was only by ' demanding It that ho allowed her a stretcher to sleep on. Not only had he failed to keep her, but he could not keep out of debt himself, and sho had been told that ho owed £22 for board.

His Honor scribbled out a brand new decree, scissored It off the roll and passed it along to Elizabeth. The usual fringe of costs was not added.