COLOURFUL COURT SCENE

Chronicle (Levin), 1 August 1947, Page 4

COLOURFUL COURT SCENE

italian bride who was given to screaming a colourful but bewildering scene right from the heart of Italy was Sltddeniy superimposed upon. the fatniliar 'cahVaS of. forrn&lity and quiet dignity of the Magistrate's Court at Palnierston North on. Tuesday when the Italian . bride of a returhed serviceman temporariiy took charge of proceedings in which her husband was a defendant in a claim for damages and possession of house-roomsi With all the excitability, changeability and volubility characteristic of her raee the dark-haired, attractive Italian girl frbrtl the witness box sharply cross-examined the cross-examining counsel, Mf. F. G. Opie, became angry, tossed her head in disdain, became so oVercome with laughter that she could not continue her evidence forf a period, talked, down the presiding magis,trate, Mr. c. c. Marsack, and engaged in some heated arguments - in Italian with her husband, who repeatedly .made strenuous efforts to still his wife's scrong flow of words. Plaintiff described the conduct of defendant and his wife, alleging that defendant had beaten his Italian wife, who had screamed and called for the police. Vhe noises caused by the quarrelling had become very unnerving. Defendant frequently had liquor in .he house. On one occasion he had taken an axe and smashed the wireless set, gramophone and a number of records. Defendant admitted drinking occasionally, but denied thrashing his wife. She was, he said, of a very excitable temperament, spoke in a loud voice and screamed at the Slightest provocation. He complained of inconveniences caused by plaintiff, Mr. Marsack suggested • that defendant should put his wife into the" box to- give evidence on this point, but deferidant was reluctant to do so. "She does not talk very much English and you would not understand what she said," he told the magistrate. His, Worship: You neVer know about these things. Some enlightening facts were revealed by 'the Italian wife under cross-examrnation by Mr. Opie, and many facets of her temperament came into full play. "Quarrel?" she asked. "In Italy married couple all the time quarrel. Pouf! Quarrel now soon forget." Asked why she had called in the police on one occasion, she promptly told Mr. Opie that these were not divorce proceedings, but went on to give a colourful comparison between police methods in Italy and New Zealand. "In Italy policeman comes along and say, 'What you hit your wife for, hey?' He see what goes on and take husband away for lockup," she said. "Here police come along, laugh and go away." She gave the court to understand that she did not like New Zealand, where houses were. so hard to get, where the climate was not so sunny as her native Italy, and where ihe people thought so much of "money, money, money." "This house she has no sun, no fresh air, my baby get sick, the house she steenks," said witness gesticulating eloqUently. Mr. Opie: If you don't like the place why do you stay? Witness: I have my husband and my baby, bufc if I get other house I go quick. The magistrate decided to adjourn the case for a fortnight. "During that period," said the magistrate to defendant, "I want you to make an effort to see that there are no further disturbances. I am quite serious about this. If your wife wants to scream take her out into a wide, open paddock somewhere . and let her do her screaming there."