HUSBAND AND WIFE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1061, 25 February 1911, Page 10

HUSBAND AND WIFE.

A SAD STORY TOLD IN DIVORCE COURT. . Illy Telegraph-Press Association.) Dunedin, February' 23. Sir.. Justico Williams sat this morning to hear a divorce suit, Christina Morris v. Thomas Charles Morris, wife s petition for dissolution of. marriage on the-ground of desertion." Mr. Irwin, who appeared for~ petitioner," said tho- parties were mar-, ried in 1893, and there were three children,- the youngest being fifteen, years old. After, the first six months of, married lifi the parties, did not got on well together. Respondent treated his- wife with great cruelty, • and' within four months of tbo birth of the third'child he assaulted her in , such a way as. to render-her unconscious. After the child, was "horn '■ Morris, who was doing-, no wbrk.r.suggwtsdiihafc she should-go back to work (she had been a tailorcss), alia three weeks' birth- of- tho # child, she wont, to work. For a long time she was practically tho - sole support of the family, on earnings ■ from 255. to 30s. a week. Morris did not attempt to get work. Tho wife continued working until her health became-affected, and tnon she went to the Dunedin Corporation and got her' husband employment as lamplighter. The wife afterwards did laundry work, making as much as X 3 a week; but Morris, although in work and I banking money, never-gavo her .'anything except an occasional half-crown. Respond-, ent's behaviour was bad, ho having, misbehaved himself with a girl in _ petition-' er's employ assisting in laundry/work. He repeatedly petitioner about, I and told her' she was .'no' use to him, and the sooner sho went the better. In! 1904 she saved up '.£7, and went away with her little children to an uncle in Masterton. Thcro she was very ill, and wrote to her "husband' asking, for. help, receiving in reply only abusive letters. Respondent ,was now a.-man of; some property, who had recently v built-. a new house at South Dhnedjn. He never attempted to support .'his' wife.' . ../■ > ' ' Petitioner, (on ; oath), .said when ;her third child was'.born tho nurse "asked ! respondent, to go for/a. doctor, ana he refused.' . " . ; His Honour announced that a caso of constructive desertion had been, made out, and he made a decree nisi;: costs'on'the lowest scale against respondent. ~ ■ .