A CHARGE OF DESERTION.

Motueka Star, Volume IV, Issue 172, 14 April 1903, Page 4

A CHARGE OF DESERTION.

The first case of desertion dealt with by Judge Edwards was that of a man named Rowe who had left his wife in Napier and went to Australia. He was arrested and brought back and ordeied to pay 10s per week. In the course of the trial the following letter to him from his affectionate wife was read :

"My dearest, darling, loving, loving husband, Just a few lines, my own loved one, to let you know that I have bested you again. -I have put the set on you again, dear, from getting the •children adopted. No,v you must try some other scheme, old boy. My darling loved one, I do like you so—you don't know the love I have ftr- you in my heart, my dear. You can't imagine, my own .pretty, pretty one. I am so glad I have been able to put the set on your sending them to the Industrial school, and now again I have put the "cooker" on you for having them adopted. You must keep them, you know, my dearest hubby, or else leave the colony alt >gether. You must and shall provide for them, whether you like it or not. Now, you must try some other way of spiting me upon them. If you can't revenge yourself on me I suppose you think you will show your spite on the children, but thank God, I have put the set on it all. You should have treated me as a man should have treated his wife, and I would never have left you nor the children. You cur, you longlegged wool stealer. My own darling, I hope you will feel relieved when this is said to you, because I know you are so ignorant, someone else must read it for you. Just get someone to look at the "Post" to-night, and see what I have put in about the children. Get them adopted if you dare, my man, without my consent, and see if I don't make an example of you. Now just you try it my beauty. Don't forget to have the paper read to you to-night. Good-bye, old threepenny worth of starvation plastered up against a boiler door. Believe me to remain your loving, loving wife, Sarah. P.S. I am dying for the want of seeing your ghostly, ugly, face."