ALLEGED WIFE DESERTION

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 58

ALLEGED WIFE DESERTION

CHARGE AGAINST AUSTRALIAN. EXTRADITION ORDER GRANTED. AUCKLAND, April 11. , A farmer named James Arthur Lambden, aged 37 years, who was arrested at Taupaki on March 13,- on a charge of wife desertion in Victoria, resisted an amplication made before Mr Wilson, S.M., for his extradition. Evidence in support of extradition was given by Senior Constable Steedman, of Victoria, who presented the warrant issued, for the arrest of the defendant and the depositions sworn by the defendant's wife. Lucretia Lambden, the complainant, in her deposition stated that she and the defendant were married in 1903, and that there were three children of the marriage, their ages ranging from 15 to six years. In June, 1916, her husband went to the war, and he returned in October, 1918. He was met by her on his return, and they stayed together for two or three days, when he left for Melbourne tg, see the military authorities, and did not return. . She had not seen him since. The accused gave evidence to the effect that when he went to the war ho drew all his sayings (about £100) and gave them to his wife, while she also had a piano, furniture, and books of valued at £IBO, and had five guineas a week while he was away. On his return he decided not to live with her, but when he left Melbourne he went to Sydney with only £l2, and interviewed solicitors with a view to arranging for his wife's maintenance. He had had the rank of captain in the forces. He put in letters which he had written as showing his bona fides in the matter.. His Worship: I think that these letters show that the man plainly deserted his wife. The accused said he had no money when he landed in New Zealand, and he now had a farm at Taupaki, which had been bought with money provided by another peripn. His Worship: Who is this other person? Mr Gray: The other person is a woman. His Worship: I see. That is the whole of the secret. Matters get much clearer. Mr Gray stated that the farm was part dairy and part orchard, and if the accused were taken away there would be a considerable loss on fruit and potatoes. In reply to his Worship, the accused hesitatingly admitted that the other lady oame from Australia with him, though not from Victoria. Detective Sergeant Hammond: Not only that, but shev came from England with him, and came across from Australia here as his wife. His Worship stated that he could not try the case, and the only thing he had to consider was one of hardship to the accused. The circumstances seemed to show that the hardship would not be to him, but to the other woman, whose money had gone into the farm. His actions had held up the receipt by his wife of the pension' money which she should have got. An order of extradition would be made.