DISOBEDIENT DAVY.

NZ Truth, Issue 12, 16 November 1907, Page 3

DISOBEDIENT DAVY.

The Troubles of a Chainman.

For chronic disobedience of a wife maintenance order, an elderly surveyor's chainman named Henry Davy takes the historic cake and several buns besides. On February 2, 1900, at Christchurch, he was ordered to contribute the sum of 8s a week towards the support of his small wife, but after paying over £1 17s, the grass widower had a bad attack of negligence, and allowed himself to run into arrears to the extent of £165. It isn't clear how* the missus kept the bailiff from the door m the interim, but Davy put m a lengthy statement, which Magistrate Riddell partly read, containing hostile allegations, which his Worship said were unsupported hy evidence. The lady, who is a frail creature, with an intellectual nose, furnished particulars to the Court of the above facts, and had to submit to a spirited crossexamination by Davy. Have I not always tried to make a home for you ?— No ! .When I was m Taranaki didn't you come here with a man named Moss, and left me with a child of seven years on my hands ?— No •! \ Didn't you say you'd lost all your boxes when you came back to Inglewood, .but you hid them at the station, and I bought you a new box and £8 worth of clothes and gave you £8 m cash, and then you left me with the child ?— No ! ! ! Yes you did I— No, I didn't ! His Worship : You musn't argue. Davy : Judge Kettle has DISMISSED THE CASE SEVERAL TIMES ! In his own defence defendant alleged that he had got an order from the Clerk of the Court not to pay any more money as the proceedings were likely to be withdrawn, but his Worship remarked that it was useless to make statements that were unsupported by documentary evidence. Davy said he was a chainman, but suffered from rheumatism and neuralgia m the head, and averagad only 8s a day for three days a week. The child which he had been supporting was now earning his own living, and he had no one dependent on him. The woman at this stage applied for permission to employ a solicitor. ! His Worship : It is unnecessary. The Magistrate stated further .that until the order standing, against Davy was cancelled it would have to be complied with. It seemed strange that the order had not been enforced long before this. As it was impossible to ask Davy to pay the whole of the arrears at pnce, he would be convicted and sentenced to three ' years' imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended so long as £1 a week was forked out by the estranged husband. As it was obvious that a man m Davy's position wouldn't feel encouraged to pay off such a terrific dead horse as £165, an order was made that the arrears be cancelled when £25 had been paid.