A "Reel" Life Drama

NZ Truth, 7 June 1924, Page 7

A "Reel" Life Drama

The Triangle Again

(From "Truth's" Hastings RepO

Picture Theatre Manager Sued By His I :.. : : Wife : „ ■■ .. : "

"If no one else will say nice things about you, say them yourself" is evidently one of the golden rules of Alexander Ernest Glensor, picture theatre manager of Hastings. At the Magistrate's Court last week Albert Ernest said to one member of the legal fraternity: "If I'm allowed freedom from molestation from your client (his wife, by the way) I have every reason to believe ; that I can make that theatre pay because I have tons of energy and tons of ability.'' " '

■ The case was one m which Emily Elizabeth Glensor, who runs a confectionery and cake shop m Wellington, applied for a maintenance order] 'for herself and four children from her' husband, the Said A. E. Glensor. Itj Is not long since Glensor arrived m Hastings and took over the King's Theatre. This was . a pretty r dead proposition, but outwardly, at ' any rate, he seems to have p lit some life to It, so naturally a great deal of public interest was aroused by the hearing of the case. . ■ ' Lawyer E. »Ji Hallett guided complainant's case and Lawyer D. Scant nell was on hand: for respondent. A.- Lawyer Hallett stated that the parties were married m Sydney m April, 1912. At that time the complainant was a widow with two, children, and : the issue of the -present • marriage numbered three. They lived together till 1921, when, without reason, the re-, spondent left her and had not lived . with her since. , He had allowed her maintenance averaging £2 to £2 10s r per week, but the wife reckoned this was not sufficient to keep herself and lour children, Mr. Hallett. said he understood that there had been other trouble and there was another woman m the. case. ' | "THICK" HUSBAND AND THIN ALLOWANCE. t In evidence, the complainant corroborated her counsel's' opening and eald, further, that m 1921 her husband became "thick" with another woman, for whom he bought all manner of presents while ,she herself <got nothing. After her husband left her some friends helped her to get into a shop, but this was not paying. She would be satisfied if her husband paid her '£4 per week, and he should be able to do this as ho was m a good position and was able to provide a home for another woman. : . ( | ! . Mr. Scannell: You have had this before the Magistrate m Wellington on several occasions, haven't you? — No, only twice; i And each time he refused ' to make an order? — No, an agreement was made that I should receive £3 5s per 'week, but this my husband cut down ■ to £2 10s. ■:■■■•'■- .>■■■■■;.' i; ■'■■"•• ;:"' ■"/:.■■ In October last, didn't you sign an undertaking to accept £2 10s per week? — Yes, I had to, because he said he could not pay anymore. - Didn't you also promise the Magistrate that you , would not interfere with or molest your .'. husband In the street, any public place or place of business?— Yes. : . ; „ , ■ . Have you kept that undertaking? — Yes, I have. r ' Well, why did you com 6to .Hastings? •^-I?he dbctor ordored mo away on account of my ill-health, i To Haßtings?-~No. But I had friends hero to come to. You knew Mr.. Glensor was at the King's Theatre?— Yes. f What did you go there, for? — My 'child wanted. to see her: father. You went to the pictures did'nt you? —Yes. * Surely I had a right to go. Of course, but why the King's each tinie?— l had seen the others. Where did you get the money to go? —Out of my hard, earnings. _ But you said the shop did not pay you? — Well, I went with friends. "You were told to keep away, weren't you?' — Yes, but I did not molest him. Where . have you be<in staying m Hastings?— At the Pacific Hotel. '■'■: What does that 'cost you?— Nothing. Through my friends I am allowed to stay thero free. v . Do you know If anything has been paid for your maintenance at the hotel?— No. Complainant stated that before she and her husband parted she went through his pocketß and found £94. She took £CO out of this and spent it on paying the board and children's clothing. ,' . Lawyer Hallett: Have you molested your husband In any way since you gave that undertaking? — No. THE GUARDIAN OF; THE GATE. Tell the- Court what happened at the theatre. '■■ i ■ Witness: My daughter and I went to the theatre, but we could not seo'

Mr. Glensor. I went back the next morning and saw a woman holding the trellis gates. I told her I wanted to see Mr. Glensor, but she said: "You're not coming m here. He doesn't want you and your kids. He only wants me." She stopped me from going m and then said that Mr. Glensor was m town, but at the moment he came out of another door. The woman then called, out: "Look what she's done," and he replied: "Ring up the police." A This was done for a policeman came along and I went away with him. : V

Constable O'Neill said tha{ as' the result of a , telephone message that - a woman "was cr'eajing a disturbance he went to the King's. He found a woman standing outside, but while he was there there was no disturbance. The woman went, away with him.

This finished , complainant's case.

Lawyer Scannell, for the defence, said that, nothing had be.en- brought forward, to show that there should be a variation of the agreement made. It was a question as to whether respondent could pay more. In evidence, the respondent stated that he was unable to pay more than £2 10s a week. It cost him about £83 a week to run the theatre, and the first expenses, were very heavy, At present . it was not a paying concern, but he hoped to make it so. UNPLEASANT QUESTIONS. His Worship: How do you pay the £.% 10s a week?— Out of the £5 a week I allow myself as wages. Lawyer Hallott: Do you pay rent for the house you live m? — Yes, 30/-. v Who do you live with?— Mrs. Mcßrlde. v Is ; she the other wdman? — She is the mother of a woman m my employ. ; His Worship: Are you 'trying to bring up dirty linen or what, Mr. Hallett? .; Lawyer Hallett: It has been suggested to me that he is keeping this woman. .',::.,; ..-■,-.•• ...-'.- ■'•; . . Mr. Hallett then questioned witness' concerning his business returns, but the witness refused to answer on the grounds that it -would make his busl* ness public and this would not be fair to. him,:. He ' agreed to produqe his books to be considered m camera and this course was later adopted.

Continuing, counsel asked: Does 30/---rent come out of your wages,? — Yes. ' Does Miss Mcßride pay towards the rent of the bouse? — Of course not.

Do you pay any of the household expenses? — No. I receive board and lodging m return for the^rent; How much money did you owe when you came here? — I refuse to answer that. I will say though that If I am allowed freedom from molestation from your client. I have ey6ry reason to believe that I can make the theatre pay because I have tons of onergy and tons of ability. NO ORDER MADE. At this stage the case was adjourned to enable the books to be looked into. After looking into these, his Worship said that "although he agreed that the maintenance at present paid was" not sufficient, but he did not think the man could pay more. No order would be made. His Worship also expressed tho opinion that the wife had been very ill-advised m coming to Hastings as she dith \ ■ — . _