UNHAPPY PAIR

NZ Truth, Issue 1175, 7 June 1928, Page 7

UNHAPPY PAIR

Sought Relief After Two Years (From "ST.Z. Truth's" Wellington, Rep.) Incompatibility of temperament might — m America — have been the grounds cited by Pearlie Elizabeth Fielding m her petition for separat!on ( maintenance ' and guardianship orders against her husband m the Wellington Maintenance Court last week. DUT it was on the ground of failure *■* to provide that she based her appeal.' The most regrettable feature of the dispute between the parties was the youth of Pearlie and her husband. She is -only 20, while he is 26. " Magistrate Page, after lengthy opening addresses by counsel, "gathered the impression, rightly or ■wrongly, that the parties might be brought together again," and with this idea m view- adjourned the case for three weeks. Lawyer W. R Leicester, who appeared for the plaintiff, said the marriage, which was a forced one, had been most unhappy. The parties united their fortunes— and misfortunes — m April, 1926, and the 'baby was born the following December. They. had been living m rooms, but owing to the husband's alleged gambling habits, the wife went to her mother's place, where the baby was born. She was m ill-health at the time, but her husband, said counsel, had no feeling or' respect for his wife and continued,; to force his attentions upon her. - ■'. ■•--,. FOR-THREE MONTHS "Defendant has made no attempt to maintain his . wife or get a home for. her," declared the lawyer. "He appears to ibe an irresponsible waster. and. if the matter is held over the same thing might quite easily occur again^"Lawyer C. O'Donnell, James Fielding's legal champion, denied these statements, remarking that up to five weeks ago the young couple had been going to the pictures together. When they met the wife saluted him "as a wife should." Arrangements had been made for the husband to return to his mother-in-law's house, ibut because he was a fortnight over the stipulated time to return, he was emptied out. Once he asked for a photograph of his wife and child, but the next day she sent ..back his own portrait torn to fragments. Counsel contended that his client earnestly desired to have his wife return to him. \ All he asked was that she take rooms with him; if, at the end of three months, she was still there he would raise sufficient money 'to secure a borne of their own; Lawyer Leicester: "My client does not desire to go into rooms. She wants a home of her own."^ Magistrate Page: "The parties are quite young. I shall adjourn the matter for three weeks to see if they cannot patch up their differences. That would be the most logical solution. I shall secure the court records and see whi the position was m July."