PRETTY 'ARD

NZ Truth, Issue 1044, 28 November 1925, Page 4

PRETTY 'ARD

HUSBAND TO PAY Lamented Absences Emma Smith's second marriage seems to have been unfortunate. The lady, who has grown-up sons, has been; married to Walter Smith for five years! but the period has been punctuated by, his absences. Emma, •m • the course of separation and maintenance proceedings, told Magistrate H. A. Young, m Christchurch that Walter had a habit of leaving home. NO HUBBY, NO CASH ■ One one occasion he was away eighteen months and on another, four months, while there were times when the absences were shorter. And absence does not make the heart grow fonder when there is no money coming m. Walter reckoned he had given hia wife 90 per cent, of hvs wages when m work. He had gone away to try and find work. But he could not explain why he had not let his wife know where he was. He considered that it was impossible to get on with" his wife and that the, best ho could do was to allow her 15/- a week. Emma proved to have a wonderful flow of language m Court. Between the one and the other, Bench and Bar at times could not get a hearing. Emma is more voluble than a soap-box politician, yet Walter, m detailing his financial outgoings, mentioned that he was paying off the cost of a phonograph! PA-IN-LAW SHUT OUT. It was~alleged that one o^the lady's two grown-up sons, on one occasion when Walter came back after a few days' absence without leave, took matters m hand and barred his father-in-law from his own home. The complainant said she was penniless except for what her sons gave her and she had not had meat* m the house for a fortnight. She asked for 25/- a week and that figure was fixed on by the Bench. Walter reckoned it. was pretty 'ard.