MAINTENANCE CASE.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15309, 24 February 1920, Page 3

MAINTENANCE CASE.

Leonard Marsh Dando was charged' with having failed to provide adequatemaintenance for a child, of which he was the parent Avithin the meaning of the Destitute Persons Act. The Magistrate informed defendant that the evidence of his wife had hecn taken at the previous hearing, and that as he had failed to put in an. appeai*ance he had issued a warrant for his arrest. -:, The evidence given by defendant's wife was then read over, and as there •was another application in. respect of maintenance for herself and child, the case was adjourned until later. In addition to an application for a maintenance order, Annie Elizabeth

Dando, wife of defendant, applied for. a separation order, on the grounds of "persistent cruelty, and,for an order for the, guardianship of.the child. , Mr. E. i>.. Moore appeared for the. complainant. - .1 - Complainant'stated -ilia^ she. Was married %t> defendant on /19th June, 1919. She was then a widow,.with, an illegitimate child.' She- left defendant on 2:lst- July, 1919, owing to his cruelty to her. Subsequently she returned to him, but,left him again in October. Defendant tried to choke her, and fre--1 quently threatened to cut her throat, j On one' occasion he struck her, black-' ening an eye. After she 'left him in October, defendant went to Blenheim. Since then he had not contributed to her maintenance o_r that- of her child, j In reply to her request for maintenance, defendant said that he- was making a- home for her, and could not afford to keep two homes going. She replied ! that owing to his cruelty she could not 1 live with him again. . ■ i J Frederick Hare, stepfather of com-j • plainaut, deposed that the domestic j relations between defendant and his i wife- were most .unhappy. vQne night. [ complainant came to him with finger; j marks on her throat and her night- j [dress torn off her back. On another: ' occasion ccm.piajnas.t- telephoned to him, i ■and on going; to the house he found I her with a "beautiful" black eye. j Defendant admitted, that he had been cruel to ills wife, but- he was so worried owing to the orders out against him that he was not in his right mind. ■He had not been able to send money to his wife from Blenheim, as he had been prevented from working all the tihi© owi^^_tp a motor accident. At the present time he_was in employment, | earning from £3 to. £3 10s per week. J The Magistrate said that he thought there shoi'Jd he a general review of the whole position. Defendant at the present time was responsible for the support of three illegitimate children and]

two by reason.of his niarriago. Apparently uefendanii had bnlv been paying j for one illegitimate, child, and was in1 arrears vsince last July, and he had not paid anything for the twins. .With three illegitimate : children defendant ' had no; rigii/tr to get married: He could nab support a wife' and support the children. "'...", . s ■• ' ' ■ . .. "\ Defendant ,said that he married his wife because he loved her. The Magistrate: Yet you knocked her about within a month'of the marriage. Defendant said that with good health and constant work he could support his wife and two children. His wife would return to him if he proved himself within twelve months. The Magistrate said he would not ask complainant to go back to defendant after the way he had treated her. It would he necessary 'for the defendant to find hondsnien. If security was found ihe would be prepared to make an order. Til\e matter was then adjourned until the afternoon. ' In ihe afternoon the Magistrate granted the separation order 3 and made an order in.faVour of th.c cohiplainant for the custody and guardianship of the children. Defendant was ordered to contribute 10s per week towards eoniuiainant'.s maintenance and 5s per week for the child. Defendant was further ordered to find security for £100 or two amounts of £50 each" for ten years, and to pay £2 2s solicitor's costs.