A FELLED TREE.

NZ Truth, Issue 136, 25 January 1908, Page 6

A FELLED TREE.

A Wife and Child Deserter Properly Punished. I . . It is feome satisfaction 'to know that individuals . who desert their wives and children, and r who make not the slightest provision for their support, often get their deserts sooner or later— not all of them, of course but. a pretty fair proportion. Tree was . felled at Christohurch Magistrate's Court this week,, when he was charged with having disobeyed an order of the Court compelling him to pay ten shillings a week towards his wile, and two shillings a week for his young daughter.- The' fellow's marriage took .place, a .'few. years ago, but ho did a guy, and lit out for some place unknown not very long afterwards. It is now known that he didn't get far, Wellington being his objective ,i but the ptilice didn't locate him until the other day.., Tree, whose front name is George, has been toiling -there ever since under an assumed name, bntv tie never sent a copper td his wife, who was obliged to. go out and "earn her: own >livinjz: . and get on as beat she \ could. - Since November,- i 905,( . three?! informations have been laid against, this miserable speciman of O- atteritu&ted manhood, and the total amount o? maintenance m. arrears, was. somewhere about £45 on ttie wife's . account, and^over a tenner for the daughter. When confronted • with Magistrate , Bishop, trashy. TREE ADMITTED THE ARREARS but offered no excuse whatever for bis raseaxiy conduct. ■'-' However, he was nice enough to make an offer for tbe consideration' of the 1 Court. He said he got 27s 6d a, week (no doubt he gets found too) m Wellington, and he would m future $Lye hig t wife £1 a week out of that >iti*stefa : d^of • 12s. And yet the swine had . never given /tier a cent during two -long years. He mentioned that when his Wellington boss heard of his trouble he offered to keen his billet open for a few days to see how he got on. He would pay the quid a week into the police office at Wellington. The S.M. : Yes, I dare say, hut I am not going to let a man like you off. You left your wife and child starving, and did nothing towards their keep. You will be sentenced to six months' imprisonment. The decision seemed to surnrise the prisoner, hut he soon recovered, and stepped out to commence his inglor-r

ious holiday. Meanwhile his Wellington boss needn't keep tea for him.