RIGHTS TO A MAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22742, 30 November 1935, Page 3

RIGHTS TO A MAN

The Austrian High Court recently decided that a woman can be forbidden ever to see, write, or speak to a married roan with whom she is believed to bo in love—and vice versa—under pain of seizure of her private property and even arrest. An action was brought by a married woman, Frau Lisa, asking the court to forbid a certain Frau Olga from ever seeing, writing to, or telephoning her husband again under penalty of an immediate execution levied on her property and eventually her arrest. She charged Frau Olga with the specificalh Austrian crime of “ disturbance of a marriage.” She valued the exclusive society of her husband at £2OOO. Frau Olga pleaded that her friendship for the husband was harmless, but necessary for them both, and that the wife was subject to uncontrollable jealousy. The first court rejected the wife’s claim on the ground that she could not establish material damage. The Court of Appeal, however, reversed the decision in her favour, and this was finally confirmed by the Supreme Court.