WIFE NOT ONE OF THREE

NZ Truth, Issue 1305, 18 December 1930, Page 2

WIFE NOT ONE OF THREE

Frederick Denied That Winifred Was Just One of His "Wives"

"SHE KNEW MORE THAN I DID"

"Go To Gaol"

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Wellington Representative.) Frederick Edgar Martin gave his occupation as that of a plumber, but when he took the witness-stand m the Wellington Magistrate's Court, he had an uncomfortable half-hour with Mr. R. Hardie Boys, which left him no time for that contemplative reflection popularly attributed to the >™«^+« «*.+^'« «*-« FREDERICK EDGAR was applying for a variation of the maintenance order obtained against him by his wife Winifred, while the wife on her part, issued a complaint regarding her nusband's alleged disobedience of the terms of that order. Justifying his application for a variation, Martin told the court that he had been out of work for some time and as a result had been to a large extent dependant upon the charity of his friends. His wife, on the other hand, was earning £1 a week and he had been told that she was m receipt of a further 10/- 'a week from work which she carried out at a restaurant m the evenings. Mr. Boys fired his first shot by asking Martin whether it was not true that his wife performed this work m spite of her very indifferent health. Martin said that he did not know, whereupon Mr. Boys asked him shauply whether it was not a fact that it had been disclosed at previous hearings that during her married life, the woman had been the victim of unnatural offences. However, Mr. Perc5 r Jackson, who appeared for Martin, protested vigorously against the introduction of this matter into cross-examination and Mi Boys allowed it to lapse but followe it up with a query as to whether hi client was not simply one of Martin" "wives." Martin: She is my wife. Mr. Boys: She is not one of three?-— No. You have two women whom you have been living with? — One. Has the other died?— l don't know. My wife* said that I had three but she knew more than I did. ' Questioned further, Martin said tha he had now no money m the ban although he admitted that m a previot hearing before Mr. Woodward S.M he had "let the cat out of the bag m regard to his savings. All he ha earned since August was £3/18/ He had been looking* for work but ha been unable to flnd any. Mr. Boys: What were you doin at Himitangi? — Looking for work. Mr. Boys: Looking for work, i Himitangi! If you know Himitanj as well as I do you will know thf it is about the last place m th: Dominion to look for your sort < work? Martin: I was looking for wor there and staying with some friend .Cross-examined further abowt hi search for work, Martin said that li had travelled the district from Marto downwards looking for something t do. He admitted that he had bee staying at Taikorea but said that thi was because he had friends there,

Mr. Boys: What have you done with your money? — I sent you £1. You issued a summons for my arrest. You know that goes to Mrs. Martin? — I don't know. I think you get a guinea each time you send one out. Mr. Boys: Then you have a very misguided idea of the benefit solicitors derive from proceedings of this nature. Mr. Boys then returned to the question of the husband's financial position and finally elicited the fact from him that he was receiving £1 a week from his lodge as he was under the care of a doctor. Mr. Boys: Then you admit you are getting £ 1 a week from the lodge. You can keep up a lodge? — Yes, and I am going to keep it up for my own benefit. Mr. Boys: Of courie; for your own benefit. It's more to you than your wife. Martin showed some reluctance to explain the exact nature of the work he had been doing on his travels round the Rangitikei district, but when Mr. Boys facetiously inquired whether he had been "stroking the bull," he said he had been grubbing gorse. Mr. Boys: Do you acknowledge that your wife is a sick woman as a result of the. treatment she received from you? — No. You can't do anything more?— Nothing but go to gaol. You have always avoided that so far?— Yes, but I won't be able to this time. Martin said later that he had property at Marton from which he was receiving £1 a week rent. The money, however, was collected for him by a man m Marton and paid to his credit* ors. ActuaHy, the property was worth nothing to him. He admitted, however, that he had not had any statement as to the position from this man and that he did not know whether there was any money m hand for him. Mr. Boys: You have nothing else to tell the court? — No. Mr. Boys (sharply): You know something that you are keeping back from this court, don't you?— Don't you bully me. I do not. Finally, Martin denied that he only wished to support his child and not his wife. He contended that until he got work, he could not keep up with the order. With the remark that he was not satisfied with Martin, however, the Magistrate dismissed his application for a variation and said that the only alteration he would make \\a.s that,' of the £1/12/6 a week due from the husband, 15/- should go to the home for the support of the child, and 17/6 to the wife. Default m payment was fixed at two months.' gaol.