NEWS FROM THE PORT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20231, 15 February 1934, Page 2

NEWS FROM THE PORT.

Maintenance Claim Heard in Court. Mary Russell Hay (Mr Lascelles) proceeded against her husband, John Thomas Hay (Mr Tracy) in the Lyttelton Magistrate's Court yesterday tor £lB 10s, arrears of a maintenance order at the rate of £1 5s a week. The husband counter-claimed for a reduction in the order to £1 a week and remission of arrears. Mr Tracy said Hay was a farmer In a small way and paid the maintenance to his wife regularly till September, but, owing to financial embarrassment, he had been unable to continue payment. During the past twelve months he had paid his wife £54. Mr Lascelles said that figures showed that the husband had sufficient surplus to cover his liabilities. Mr H. A. Young. S.M., said he did not consider defendant could pay more than £1 a week, but could not see why the arrears should be remitted. In twelve months* time Mrs Hay would be eligible for the old age pension. He reduced the order to £1 a week as from February 14. The question of arrears ■was adjourned for a month. Licensing Cases. On a charge of being found on the licensed premises of the Mitre Hotel, Oecii Baird was fined 30s and costs 10s in the Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr H. A. Young, S.M. John de Putron Manson, licensee of the Mitre Hotel, was fined £5 and costs for selling liquor after hours. Two other charges of opening and exposing liquor for sale were withdrawn by the police. Mr Amodeo for defendant, pleaded not guilty. He stated that on the night of Sunday. January 27, Baird had called at the hotel and asked to use the phone. Afterwards, in conversation with the licensee, Baird remarked that defendant had not shouted for him over the Christmas holidays, whereupon the licensee, who had been a friend of Baird’s for several years, took him Into the private bar and served him a drink as his guest. No money had passed between them. The Magistrate stated that Baird had been found on the premises after hours, and the onus was on him to show that his presence was not in contravention of the law. This he had not done. The circumstances pointed that there had been a transaction in the nature of a sale. Personal. Mrs W. F. Robertson and her daughter, Awapuni, who have been the guests of Mr and Mrs S. Tr.denflick, London Street, have returned home.