A DISSATISFIED WIFE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 172, 15 April 1919, Page 5

A DISSATISFIED WIFE

ORDER FOR SEPARATION REFUSED,

In refusing an application for separation, maintenance, and guardianship orders made by Victoria Johns against her husband, Giles 1?.. Silvester Johne, a returned soldier, Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M, 'at the Magistrate's Court yesterday mado some remarks ns to the disinclination of some soldiers' wives' to settle down to normal lite again. Mrs. Johns made the applications o - ,i the ground that her husband had failed to provide adequate maintenance for complainant and two children. The complainant said that though her husband had returned from the front on February'2l, and had obtained 11 position in the Defence Office at .£3 15s. per week, she had' not received - any money from him since his return. During the cross-examination it was elicited that Mrs. Johns had had several days' notice of her husband's return, but at that time she was at AVanganui looking after a business of her sister's,' who wus then in Auckland.

Iu evidence., the defendant stated that he ha<J allotted all his military pay to his. wife, with the exception of 6d. per day, oiid after his promotion to the rank ef corporal liis pay -was all allotted with thr- exception of Is. (id. per day. His wife had had 14s. out of his military pay since he had returned to New Zealand, and aleo £S 10s. out of the sum which lie had saved from his Is. 6d. per day. Complainant also admitted ■ having won .£ls nt the Wanganui races and having received in all about ,£4O from the Patriotic Socicty at various times. While defendant was at the front she had boon getting between .£ls and ■£!(! per month from him. Defendant was discharged on March 21, and immediately started nt tho Defence OHice at.,£3 Ifis. per week. At the end of March he drew i' 3 2s. Bd., and had nothing further to come till the end of the present month.' His wife .lmd gone away without giving him any warning, ,and. he had not been able to find her. He was anxious, that his wifo and children should return to him.

Mr. l'razer said that unfortunately it WHS not the first of this type of case which had come before the Court, During her husband's absence complainant had had plonty of money, and had got into the habit of leading a .somewhat gay life, lie did not use the word "gay" with any suggestion of immorality, but referred to the fact that the complainant had, a 9 was admitted, leased her house and had been living at hotels for some time. She had been attending race' meetings, and had generally bden having a good time. There was no suggestion of any kind against the husband, but the wife was evidently disinclined to settle ddwn to normal home life again. Mrs. Dohn6 had utterly failed to make any allowance for the nervous temperamental condition of a'man invalided home from the front. She had had a good home and had nothing to complain of. Her husband was nble and willing to maintain ■her and his two children, and tho Court would certainly refuse to make any order.