DOMESTIC WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18050, 25 September 1920, Page 15

DOMESTIC WAR

SEPARATION OBVIOUSLY NECSES-

JF*^-** o***,0 *** , strife w unfolded m the PoUoeCourt before Mr J. morning when Wilfred Charle s Waldren proceeded against his wife (Olive May Waldrao) for *° her SUXeties to ke °P , wh ? a PPeaied for the informant explained that his wife had a fixed idea that he was unfaithful to her aad had five tunes assaulted him in the public street. • He was a taxi-driver and twice she had broken the wind-screen of has car, Waldren wanted to be aUowed to earn his living and to be free from these attacks. Wilfred Charles Waldren said he had been two mcin th 3 and had a little child. His left hand was practioally useless owing to a bullet wound. His wife wa 3 jealous because she imagined he had been too friendly with another young woman. When he came home last Friday n.gbt his wife met him with, a note in her hand to the effect that she wanted some understanding He told her that after what nad happened the only understanding >.o would come to would-be through the court bne struck him on the face and he pushed her away and turned to walk out. She threw a poker at him but did not hit him Hβ rushed at her and pushed her into the kitchen, where she bumped up against a table and broke a flask of whisky she had in her pocket. She put the neck of the bottle on to the table. In further scuffling he put his hand on this broken glass and cut his wrist, so badly that he had to go to the Hospital to get it stibched up His wife was excited through drink. She had assaulted him on four different occasions on the tan rank, and twice broke the wind screen. She ttsed very vile language. On these occasions he simply tried to get away. He knew by sight the young lady he was supposed to be friendly with but he had never spoken to her, and did not know her name. She used a hatpin to him and stabbed him m the leg when he was on the Moray place rank. Donald Crossan, taxi proprietor on the Moray place rank, said he had twioe seen troiible on the rant between Mr and Mrs Waldren He saw her etrike at him and make a dab at Ms leg. On Friday of last week Mrs Waldren came along and accused nun of running down her husband to her fc>he seemed to be very much excited and struck her husband in the face. Hβ did not retaliate. •Robert Wilson, another taxi proprietor on ttie same rank, said he had-seen Mrs Walflron strike her husband on the rank at the end of last week. Philip Poineroy, a brother-in-law of complainant, residing at 162 King street, gave evidence as to the cut that Waldren cot on his wrist. Witness went with him to the Hospital. Olive May Waldren made a rambling statement, in which she admitted striking her husband in the street and also using a hatpin on another occasion. She made accusations of unfaithfulness against him and said he had struck and knocked her about and tried to put her under the tap i n the sink. The only drink she had he had brought to her. She admitted to Mr Irwin that she swore under provocation, as anyone would, she considered site had given her husband every opportunity. Her child had been starving and she had no wood and coal in the house He gave her a black eye when they had been a month married. It was three months since she had been in a hotel. The doctor said her nerves had not been right for months. The Magistrate reminded the defendant that when she was before him previously she had promised him that she would not make any further disturbance, and that she would keep away from her husband: she had not kept that promise. He would adjourn the case to enable some separation arrangement to be made, as they were obviously better apart She was already bound over to come tip for sentence, and if she made any disturbance in. the street she could bo called upon. He asked the probation officer (Mr F. G. Cumming) to use his offices to get a separation-arrange-ment carried out. and he accordingly adjourned the case for a fortnight.