MARRIAGE AT GIBRALTAR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16114, 1 May 1923, Page 3

MARRIAGE AT GIBRALTAR.

NAVAL MAN AND SPANISH BRIDE.

SEQUEL IN GISBORNE COURT

"lie seems to be obsessed with I lie idoa thai, if lie- is out of work in thin country he cannot have an older for maintenance made against him," said Mr. T. A. Coleman in the Magistrate's Court this morning, speaking of William Dalley, who appeared on arrest charged with failing to maintain his wife, Ciemencia Dalley, and two children. It was an unusual story of domestic unhappiness, the husband being an ex-iiaval man and the bride a Spanish woman knowing little of English. Their story opened at Gibraltar, where they wine married, and whence they went to England, coming later to New Zealand as nominated immigrants. There were good reasons for believing, said Mr. Coleman, that the man intended to ieavo the country as soon as he could get a boat, anil therefore it was asked that he should be requested to find sureties. Last Wednesday week he had left his wife and gone away, and from enquiries math; ho was arrested at Here, where he was working on a. station. Letters ho had left indicated his intention to depart, for in ono he gave, certain instructions to a, man as to what to do with some articles, including his Masonic regalia. The bride told lief story of the marriage failure. She spoke English with difficulty, knowing nothing of New Zealand customs or institutions. She said that she was married to defendant at Gibraltar in 1919, and came to New Zealand with him and their two children about 14 months ago. After coming to Gisborne, her husband obtained a job at the Palace Pictures as caretaker at £4 a week. He gave that up to take on a carrying business. In her broken English the wife explained with difficulty that she did not understand the people, and the customs of the country, and she could not "get right" with her husband. "Ho told mo he was going to take me to" the solicitor," she said, "but I no understand. I ask him why, and he say 'shut your trap,' and throw hot water over mo and the 'kiddy' in the way." She said that her husband stayed out late at night, Once he went out with his "Mason's case" in the afternoon, and later he cleared out and she "no see him again" until yesterday. All tho money she now had was two threepennies and a sixpence. She was receiving £1 a week for stores. Mr Coleman : From the Charitable Aid Board?—What's that?

Mr Coleman : From the authorities?—l don't know. I have the letter.

The letter was produced and proved to be the Charitable Aid Board's letter.

The wife explained that Father Lane had come to sec her and had also given her 18s. The husband conducted his own case.

Referring to the incident of tho hot water, ho suggested that it was only because she stood "nagging" at him after he had returned from a meat delivery. At any rate, the water was not hot. Defendant's side of the case was .that he had been a seaman in the niivv and he had married complainant at Gibraltar, and after he bought his discharge from the navy he went to 1 England to his father's place. His parents complained that his wife was dirty, lazy, and would not look after the children properly. This caused trouble, and he came out to v Ncw Zealand, arriving in February' last year, and ho went to his relatives in To Hapara. His relatives made the samo complaint about his wife, and that caused trouble again. He took a house and got the job at the Palace Pictures. That kept him out till 10.30 o'clock each night, but never once when he went home did he find a fire alight or any hot water. Later he had the op portunity of going into a carrying business by purchasing an outfit from Mr GalTey. He understood women, and be understood tho place where his wife came from. She was just, behaving in her own way to get him to send her home to her people. He had tried to get back to (lie navy, lint had not succeeded, and was at present out of work. To his Worship lie explained that he, wanted to-got a job in (lie country. If he could get a job lie could make some! offer. When ho left homo last week he got a job, but he had lost that by having to come to town. Mr Coleman contended that defendant's object in going to the country was just to get together a few pounds with which to slip away. Mr Coleman thought that defendant should go back to his carrying business, which 'had been paying comfortably. "I've lost my connection. 1 ' said defendant. "There are 17 other carriers in town, and they have all got my connection bv now."

"It's all humbug about wanting to go to the country," said Mr. Coleman. "Yes, I don fc like the look of it," assented Mr Levvey.

His Worship made an order of £1 a week for the wife and £1 for tho children, telling defendant that ho had better get back to his carrying business. With regard to the sureties asked for, he said that he was not satisfied that defendant did not want to get away on a boat.. It was his natural calling. What his Worship bad to, do was to see that the State was not called upon to supnort the < wife and children. He would therefore order defendant to find one surety of £IOO or two of £SO. that he would not leave Gisborne without leave of the Court. He warned him that the Act under which he had been proceeded against made him liable to six months' imprisonment for a deliberate breach of his order. He advised defendant to get back to his carrying business and not let the maintenance money accumulate.