WIFE OR MOTHER?

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 84, 6 October 1931, Page 9

WIFE OR MOTHER?

AN OLD, OLD STORY

HUSBAND CHOOSES MOTHER

The mother-in-law theme is no unusual one in matrimonial Court actions, but in a case heard by Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., yesterday, it was emphatically stressed; so much so that after hearing a wife who was claiming maintenance say that she would go back to her husband immediately if her mother-in-law left tho house, the Magistrate would listen to no other aspect of the circumstances. "If these two women can't agree, Mr. Hewitt said, "there's no Court or anybody else that can make them. They might patch it up to-day but it will break out again. Whenever the two of them are there they will quarrel, and one of them will have to go. . . . It is all very well to say that tins woman ought to get on with her mother-in-law, but the fact is she can't. You can't deal in human nature in this

way." , The complainant gave evidence that her husband allowed her £2 a week housekeeping money, and out of that she had to provide food for three adults and one child. She went on to say something about her mother-in-law, who resided with them, when the Magistrate interrupted. "Your evidence is to the tft'ect that this is a quarrel between yv-rself and your mother-in-law?" he asked. The complainant: "Yes." The Magistrate: "That's the- position then; there's nothing like getting down to facts. Well, I suppose one of you must go." The complainant': "My husband tells me nothing. He tells his mother everything." The Magistrate: "Well, I don't know about that." After counsel had further questioned the wife, Mr. Hewitt asked: "Well, what do these people want to do? Do they want to be together or do they want to live apart?" The wife: "I would go back to-mor-row if his mother wasn't there." The Magistrate: "It seems to me they have got to make up their minds whether she goes away and ho will have to allow her something or his mother will have to go. ... Either he wants his mother to live with him, and in that case it is not unreasonable for his wife to say that she will not live with her, or, on the other hand, if, as ho says the wife is this and that, then it is better to separate them and bo dono with it for now and for ever." At this stage Mr. F. B. Anyon, who appeared for the husband, said his client would agree to a separation. Ho could not ask his mother to go. The husband's position was such that he could not offer his ivifo more than £1, a week maintenance. As for the custody of the child, the father and his mother had always looked after the child, and it was still with them. The husband did not consider his wife a suitable person to have the child. The wife: "I have always been a good mother to my child." The Magistrate: "Oh, yes! I know that is the old story." Mr. Anyon went on to say that the husband's evidence would be entirely contrary to that of the wife. His instructions were that the wife, when she left, had thrown the wedding ring at her husband, not given it to him as she had stated. The Magistrate: "Oh, that may be so. lam not surprised. People in tempers do all sorts of things. You can't take much notice of that. Without going into the rights or wrongs of the case she is his wife, and if ho wants her I think his mother ought to go. The mother-in-law may be a very estimable woman. lam not saying anything about that. But if the wife cannot agree with her then one will have to go. There are many instances of where the mother-in-law has had to give way to husband and wife, and this looks like a case of the kind. If the husband is not prepared to let his mother go and is prepared to sacrifice his wife, then he will have to pay for it." ' At the suggestion of the Magistrate, the Court was adjourned for half an hour to enable the parties to confer, and when the Court resumed the Magistrate said that they had got to the stage where the husband said that ho was not prepared to take his wife back, and agreed to a" separation order being made. After hearing further evidence from tho husband and wife, the Magistrate made an order for separation by consent. Ho granted tho wife the custody of the child, and fixed her maintenance at £1 5s a week and that for the child at 15s. Mr. J. B. Yaldwyn. appeared for the complainant.