HUSBAND PAID UNWELCOME CALLS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17882, 25 June 1926, Page 1

HUSBAND PAID UNWELCOME CALLS

REFUSED TO QUIT WHEN ORDERED TO. S.M. GIVES HIM TERM OF SEVEN DAYS’ HARD. Since his wife secured a maintenance and separation order against him in March last, John Cox has persisted in paying calls without invitation. As a result he appeared before Mr 11. A. Young, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court this morning charged with having trespassed on the premises occupied by his wife at 437, Selwyn Street. “Guilty to having gone there,” was his plea, “but she asked me to go there.” Senior-Sergeant Martin said that a separation and maintenance order had been in force for some time, and during that period complaints had been made to the police that accused had been going to the premises and making a nuisance of himself. Last night the police located him on the premises at 9.40 o’clock. He was very much under the influence of liquor, sleeping in a shed at the back of the house. His wife was afraid that he would burn , the place down. The Magistrate: Is there any sug-I gestion that his wife asked him" to go there ? i Senior-Sergeant Martin: No, sir. { Gladys Cox, wife of the accused, said that the man had been on the premises several times, mostly at night, and usuallj* drunk. She had ordered him off the premises, lie was drunk last night, and refused to go away when she told him to. Accused: You let me stop there last ■ Monday night?—Certainly not. I did not let you stop there. Replying to the Magistrate, the ac- '

cused said that he had been working. The Magistrate: You seem to have been drinking this week. Accused: Only yesterday, sir. There is a prohibition order out against you?—Yes. The police stated that the maintenance order was for £3 10s a week, but only £1 had been paid since May 29. Mrs Cox said that she had received about £7 from accused since March. Accused: I have paid more. Evidence was given by a constable who said that he had known accused for some considerable time. He was always -more or less under the influence of liquor. Witness had been called to the house several times owing to disturbances there. The ■ Magistrate : It seems that your trouble is drink. You could keep your wife and family if you kept off the drink. I think the best thing for you is a term of imprisonment to enable’you to get the drink out of your system and - realise your responsibilities. You will be sentenced to seven days’ hard labour, and if you do not keep your wife and family you will be sent to gaol for a lengthy period.