OVER THE FENCE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 871, 24 November 1916, Page 11

OVER THE FENCE.

CURLETT'S DOMESTIC AFFAIRS. The troubles of Huston Curlett and Elizabeth Ann Curlett, his wife, came up for their periodical ventilation at the Magistrate's Court to-day, before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. The wife charged the husband with having failed to pay £9 16/-, the costs of the original separation, and also with unlawfully molesting her on November 17, during the currency of the separation order, by watching her house. Mr Howe represented the accused. The defendant said he was sitting in the Court one day when a constable took him to the Police Station, took his valuables away, and threw him into a padd ed cell. He was subsequently removed to the asylum, and kept there for a month. This was at his wife's instigation. "They could not keep me there,' " added Curlett, "so here I am, but in delicate health.'' "But what's all this got to do with the charge?" cpjeried Mr Bailey. "It's got this to do with it," was Curlett's rejoinder, "that I'm not going to pay —not even a. shilling." "Very well," said Mr Bailey, "one month's imprisonment, then." On the molesting charge, the wife said the defendant persisted in hanging round her house, watching and spying, and causing annoyance to the members of the household. He addressed remarks to them from over the adjoining fence, as he hail rented and occupied the next-door house. Mr Rowe submitted that the charge could not be sustained. The plaintiff should'apply for an order for his ejectment. The defendant denied the charge. "I'll adjourn the matter for a fortnight," said the Magistrate, "to see if an improvement in Curlett's behaviour follows.''