DOMESTIC INFELICITY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 44, Issue 13605, 1 August 1918, Page 5

DOMESTIC INFELICITY.

APPLICATION FOR SEPARATION.

A young Assyrian woman named Roinanis applied at- the Masterton Magistrate's Court this morning for a separation order from hor h.us band, on the of persistent cruelty. Mr Noble appeared for Mrs Eomanis, and Mr Pragnoll for the husband. Mrs Eomanis said she had boon married fourteen years. Her husband had not spoken to her since before New Year's Day, either in Assyrian or English. One morning before New Year's Day her husband caught her by the throat and held her until she could not breathe. She tried to send her child out for a neighbour, but the father would not ]ot the. child out. Witness got out and went to Sergeant Miller/and showed him the marks on her throat. Her husband had struck her and blacked her eyes and culled her bad names. She was afraid to live with him. He allowed her £1 a week to keep herself and threo children. Her husband was away hawking for weeks at a time. Ho was a very jealous man. To Mr Pragnell: She lias asked a man named McDcrmott in to have a cup of tea, but ho had never been, in her house at 11 o'clock at night. Witness had been at McDermott's whare three or four times to see him about cutting the grass out of her garden and chop-' ping wood. She also went on a Sunday evening to pay him for furniture she had bought from him. Her husband had complained to her about McDermott, and got very angry. Sergeant Miller said Mrs Eomanis had repeatedly complained to him about her husband's treatment, and on one occasion had shown him. the finger marks on her throat. Witness did not think Eomanis was a cruel man, but the couple _di<i not understand each other. Eomanis said he talked to his wife, but she refused to answer. Henry McDcrmott said he knew Mrs Eomani asa neighbour and chopped a bit of wood for her. There was absolutely no truth in the suggestion that he was a "particular friend" of hers. The only occasion on which he stayed late was on the night of the flood, when ho stayed outside on the verandah. Mr Pragnell said Eoumunis did not J admit cruelty, but h<> wasft»qtrih>- pro- , pared to consent to .: ?epaTiitiim order,' provided he was allowbd f»< place the two elder children in a anx£ the. young child with a relative. The mother had beaten rhe children unmercifully, and> was not a proper person to have the care of the-children. J Ahmid Koumanis , said his wife was very excitable, and bt-at the children badly at times. When witness interfered, the wife said she would give the children some more for spite. Witness had remonstrated with McDermott for walking homo with his wife after the pictures. Witness had soon his wife come out of the pictures with AlcDurmott. To Mr Noble: Witness had denied to Sergeant Miller that he made the marks on his wife's throat. ili.s» wife was very jealous, and did not uilow him to speak to the neighbours. Mrs Collier, widow, who lived next door to Eomanis, said that she was the mother of twelve, and in her opinion Mrs Eomanis was not a fit person to have charge of the children. The ease was adjourned to allow a medical man to give evidence as to whether ,in his opinion, Mrs Eomanis was a proper person, to have custody of the children. This afternoon a doctor stated that Mrs Eomanis was of a very nervous disposition, and her state of health at times was such that it was not wise to entrust her with the care of children. The Magistrate granted the separation order and made an order for 15s a week to be paid by Eomanis for the support of his wife. Th c custody of the children is to be given to the husband. Each party to pay its own costs in the present case.