FARM LIFE

NZ Truth, Issue 1146, 17 November 1927, Page 5

FARM LIFE

HUSBAND'S DENIAL

THE BENCH DECIDES

Emily Comes Back To The City

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Welling:-

ton Rep.)

The lure of the dance caught Edward Wilkes one night, and to register a break m the tedious monotony of life as a compositor for a daily paper m the oapital city, he entered into the spirit of the . thing and 'stepped lightly across the boards with some fair partner. THAT night proved to be the turning- . point m his bachelor career, for among the fair damsels present he met his future partner m life. They were married a few months later and everything for a tlmo went along swimmingly. Emily Eva Eileen Wilkes, however, did not take too kindly to life m a boarding-house. Brightly vivacious and, energetic, she decided to take a job to help her husband along. . ■ Came a time, though, when Edward was not enjoying the best -of health, and ultimately, according to his own story, he became the victim of lead poisoning. That was m 1924, and when he discovered the cause of his ill-health he decided to make a break for the country. Emily was apprised of this decision on her husband's" part and made no demur about sharing his fortunes back among the hills. Edward 'knew something about sheep and cattle, having worked m ' the country before. He took a position as a married shepherd. In the Wairarapa district Emily worked with her husband, but later returned to her mother's place m Silverstream. • Edward secured another position as a shepherd near Wairoa, his wife cooking for the men. Several other jobs followed, Edward ultimately renting a forty-acre farm near Waipukurau. But m the meantime Emily's allowance was not all it shojuld have been. When, at the Waipukurau farm, he told her he was up against it and that she had better .find work, she did as she was told — to the extent of getting out. She returned again' to her mother and remained there for five months uiitil she brought an action against her husband m the Wellington MagisItrate's Court for, separation, maintenance and guardianship on the grounds of failure to maintain. In answer to her counsel, Lawyer Percy Jackson, she told ' Magistrate Salmon that after the Wairoa job she came home arid her baby was born m September, 1926. She was home on that occasion for about eleven months. Edward had sent her several cheaues, tout not nearly" sufficient to pay her board.

Later, when she joined him at the Waipukurau farm, the house was m a neglected condition. Her husband told her that she "had better get out and get a job." v She returned to her mother at Silverstream and had been there for the past five "months. Edward had only sent her. £2 during that time. To Lawyer Heine, who appeared for Wilkes, the wife said the house at Waipukurau was poorly furnished. There were eipht half-starved dogs tied outside the window and their "yapping" .nearly drove her mad. Wilkes denied that tfe had failed to maintain his wife or that he told her to go out and work while they were at Waipukurau.. ( r .-. On one. occasion she had refused to ro out -to a joh he secured hear Glenburn because she . said- it iwas too quiet and to far away from town. , :■ They then went to Wairoa, but . his wife did not like the life arid refused to cook for the men. Lawyer Jackson wanted to know why Wilkes had left thefafm at Waipukurau. ( . .■■■. ■'■"''"' .> - Didn't you leave the place because you didn't know how to run it?— No. . Aren't you a dreamer and a theorist? —NO. ' •'■ . , ": Aren't you a wanderer? — That is not so. " . , , You left the farm because your wife ;■ returned home?— -Yes. \Why didn't you write and tell her that if she didn't. return you would have to leave the place? — I thought it | was her place to write. I took It for •granted she/. would know that I would have to give up the farm if she didn't comeback. How long after-your wife 'left was it before you also went? — A fortnight. j It didn't take you long, did it? — No.

What have you been doing since June? — Very little. As you always hava been? — I beg your pardon! No. Further questioned, Wilkes said he had been working for his brother . m return for his board. In his opinion, said Magistrate Salmon, no doubt Wilkes' health compelled him to give up his work m town, but his wife's health also had not been good during the vicissitudes of following her husband about the country. The S.M. could not understand why people m their position should come to court and fight the matter out. "One would think a separation ! ''■?■ would be welcomed by the parties when incompatibility of'tempera- -, : ment arises," he remarked. I The w"ife was entitled to "the orders •asked-for and he granted ( them accord-' ingly, fixing the maintenance at £1 a week for the wife and 10/- for the child. .