111-Treating a Wife,

Otago Witness, Issue 181, 6 August 1886, Page 9

111-Treating a Wife,

A very serious case of wife-beating was investigated at the Gore Police Court on Saturday before Messrs John M'Gibbon, jun., and F. S. , Canning, J.P's., when Rosa Elizabeth Williams prayed that her husband, C. T. Williams, should be bound over to keep the peace. The Mataura Ensign states that Dr Cox deposed that Mrs Williams was suffering from chronic pulmonary disease and was unable to attend. The Bench, however, adjourned for half-an-hour for the appearance of complainant, who was brought into Court on a stretcher. Mrs Williams, whose appearance and whose manner of giving evidence denoted that she had seen better times and had had all the advantages a liberal education could give, gave evidence in a low tone of voice — so low that the justices left the seats thoy usually occupy and took up a position at the side of the stretcher. The witness' statement was mad© with much reluctance, and was now' and again interrupted by a painful cough — the cough of a person far gone in consumption.

Mrs Williams gave evidence of the treatment to which she had been subjected, and her evidence was corroborated by Frances Williams, a girl aged about 13 years, who swora that on the 11th July she saw her father take her mother up, squeeze her, and throw her nearly out of the house. Then he carried her into the bedroom and left her there, never speaking to her or illtreating her since, although he had been at home nearly every clay. There was not enough to eat in the house. During her mother's illness her father brought medicine from Gore, some so recently as the preceding day. C. T. Williams, the defendant, in giving his evidence, stated that the unfortunate affair arose through his checking his daughter about not mending her dress, when the mother made some remarks about the dress having been given in charity. He denied putting her out of the house.

The Bench bound defendant over for six months — himself in £50 and two sureties of £25 each. In giving their decision they cautioned Williams as to his future conduct, especially towards his children. The charge was a minor one, and if a more serious one had been made, the defendant might have stood in a very different position that day. The Mataura Ensign, from which we abridge our report, comments very severely upon the case, and considers the Bench failed in their duty in not inflicting a heavier penalty. After the case was over Mrs Williams was conveyed to the Invercargill Hospital.