A SORDID CASE.

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17836, 11 March 1930, Page 5

A SORDID CASE.

THE STEAD SEPARATION.

. Allegations by Husband.

'.WIFE’S DRINKING HABITS.

.JUDGE’S CYNICAL COMMENT. •<By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Mar. 11. The hearing of the Stead maintenance ease was resumed in the iSu;preme Court this morning. Mr-Mowbray, counsel for Stead, asked permission to further examine his client in consequence of evidence : given relative to Stead living with a woman at Takapuna. " He asked what unhappy grievances he had . against his wife. Prior to the separation, witness said he had been . away from home a great deal attending race meetings in connection with his livelihood. Frequently when the ajrrived home he found his wife insensibly drunk. The first occasion was iri. 1914, and he had engaged •ihe services of medical men to break her of the habit. > . / Mr A, H. Johnstone objected to "this evidence on the ground that the - wife was. absent, and it was impossible to challenge such statements. iStead could not put himself forward . as a person without blame, and the circumstances of his life were such that his wife was excused from 'keeping him.

IHis Honor: If she is- the same •class of woman as she says he is of :jnan, is there any reason why she should refuse to maintain him be■><eamse he is living with another -woman? • , v

.Mr Johnstone: That would make :no difference; no wife should be 'forced to maintain an able-bodied xnan carrying on business and keepiing an establishment in which ano- • :ther woman is involved. The witness, continuing his eviwdence, said that drinking on the part -of his wife: continued until the separation, although she had given frequent promises that it would never •occur again. _ Differences also existed between them on financial -.grounds. At the time of the separation there were outstanding ac- •- counts, some of which were over .£100; and ‘witness had to* sell his ' Cambridge property to meet his liabilities.

“I was drowning my sorrows,” r. said Stead, when asked what state he was in at the time of his meeting the woman with whom he was < iliving at Takapuna. He confided ihis sorrows to her and her influence -3iad led him to give up drink. He . ! had asked her if he could stay at '■ her furnished bach, and the ■* owner •of the property had given him perto erect a tent to sleep in. His Honor asked why the> magistrate had made an ojder against the 'wife for £5 a week. Did it require ,£5 to support a destitute person? ;it appeared that the magistrate had .< determined to do equity but he •-should have considered only what . amount was necessary to relieve a i man’s wants.* . - '

The reasons why he had attended racb meetings were given by Stead. ..He said that the breeding and trainsing of racehorses had been his liveMihood. Mr Johnston (to fitness) : You - sleep in the same compartment with • the lady whose name has been mentioned? Witness: Yes, but in a separate i bed.

Do you undress there? Yes, she undresses in the bathroom.

Mr Johnston: She arrives there undressed?' Witness admitted that he had been living with the woman for 2J years. Mr Johnstone: You have lived in , a lavish style most of your married * life?

Witness: No; I have lived comfortably. Dir you entertain lavishly in the. : Hotel 'Australia? No, not lavishly. Mr Johnstone: As a sportsman, would ? I have seen them 'IOO per cent, worse. Witness denied that during the lutr ter part of his life with his wife he was almost constantly drunk; he had to attend to his business. Mr Johnstone: What was your • business? Witness: Farming and racehorses. You have won with racehorses in 1 most of the big events in New Zea- ■ land? • Yes. You won large sums? Yes; £43,000 in eight years. You have tried to get back the ■ money you agreed should be used for the education of your children? I think I am entitled to it. In. cross-examination, Stead said that he would marry the girl after v-bringing: divorce proceedings, as he

would no longer be blackmailed then. Counsel: You made some vile aspersions against your wife. iSteadrYou drove me to it. Judgment was reserved.