Man Sent To Gaol Following Assault On Wife

Chronicle (Levin), 15 September 1949, Page 5

Man Sent To Gaol Following Assault On Wife

HAMILTON, Sept. 15. Commenting that he could not shut his eyes to the fact that from time to time there were domestic tragedies which had their beginnings in domestic upsets, and that he felt he would have to impose a penalty that would act as a deterrent to others, Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., senteneed Herbert Alfred Philpott ,, aged 66, of Hamilton, to one month's imprisonment with hard labour at Hamilton today on a charge of assaulting his wife, Louisa Marganet Philpott. People in New Zealand had the right to live their lives unmolested , by anyone, husband or anyone else. Married life required toleration. A husband was usually stronger than his wife and should protect and not molest her, added the magistrate. For accused, Mr-. A. G. Ward said that the marriage of Philpott' had not been a successful one. Accused had committed the offence under extreme provocation and had been subjected to constant nagging. The magistrate remarked that accused alleged that he was subjected to certain provocation, but apparentlv there was the other' side to the story. The wife's nagging had apparently been provoked by his conduct over a consid'erable period. She had had to leave him on 'a couple of occasions when he was in liauor which was frequent. 1 He was violent and dirty in his habits. 9