A SORDID STORY

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1926, Page 2

A SORDID STORY

OF BARONET AND WIFE. ' UY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. WELLINGTON, Aug. 24. The story of a titled woman living in poverty was told .in tiio Police Court when Lady Ellen Stuart Forbes sued her husband, a baronet, for maintenance. According to her counsel, defendant had kept his wife destitute for years p/.ist, hardly ever had given her any money, and left tier and her children without anything to eat., 'They bad been married 29 years and there were 13 children. Two were now dead and as a result plaintiff was driven to 'another man, who had offered her and her children a home. She bad three girls of 8 to 13 with her. Defendant interjected.—That the statements were all lies.

In the witness box Lady Forbes supported them, saying one of her daughters had to go out and pick up bottles as they were starving. Her husband had never properly kept her. He was staying at hotels and she bad to go out to work. When she asked for money he said lie wanted it for himself. She was now living with a labourer who was good to her. She was starving and driven to this.

For the defendant, it wits stated by counsel that his sister, a wealthy woman, had offered to take the three girls and send them to a convent at Nelson. Plaintiff objected to them being taken from her.

Defendant’s story was that ho had refused to keep the children while his wifo \\l is living with another man. He ran a launch at Pictnn from which ho derived about £3 a week, and had only enough money for himself. He was still paying hills for his wife. In answer to questions, ho said he had su’d another launch for £IOO, but did !not know what liiul become of the money. He spent it on bis- wife’s hills.

Defendant’s counsel urged that instead of making an order against his client, the order should he that the children bo taken from the mother and sent to a convent. Judgment was reserved.