CAN A WIFE SELL HER RIGHTS?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1565, 8 October 1912, Page 4

CAN A WIFE SELL HER RIGHTS?

AN INTERESTING POINT. The question whether a wife can sell her rights crapped up in a maintenance caso before Mr. Dwyor, P.M., in tho Melbourne County Court on October 1. Plaintiff was Marie .Maud Maddern, barmaid, and defendant was Richard Trembath Maddern, barman. Plaintiff said that she married Maddern in West Australia in 1007, but he never Contributed to her support. Oh August 80 last defendaut left West Australia by tho mail steamer Medina. At the boat ho gave her £b on condition that she signed the following agreement:— "I, Marie Maud Maddern, do hereby agree to accept from my husband, Richard Trembatb Maddern, tbe sum of X 5, and that 1 do hereby agree not to bring any plaint against, him for maintenance of any kind or wife desertion." The agreement was written on a letterheading of tho P. and O. Company, with tho crest in the corner, bearing tho words, "Quia spparnbil."!' Plaintiff, continuing, snid llio maintenance proceedings taken by her in tho West were dismissed because sho refused to live with Maddern, and divorce proceedings instituted by defendant had also been dismissed. Subsequent to the divorce proceedings the pair had lived together as man aud wife. Defendant, who gave evidence, made allegations against his wife, aud added that ho owed too much money to pay his wife anything. Mr. Owyev: Don't you think it is quite ridiculous that you want to cast this woman off for ever by payment of £"\? Is n woman to sell licr marringo rijhls fur such a paltry sum? Is sho to be allowed even to sell thorn at all? His personal feeling was that tho woman should be provided with some support. Ho would adjourn the case till Thursday next, in order to look into the law point as to the alleged bar raised by tho document signed by tho wife.