TO PAY OUT

NZ Truth, Issue 1141, 13 October 1927, Page 6

TO PAY OUT

Grice Will Grin No More (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.) Although the term: "Enough evidence to hang the man," may merely be a figurative manner of expressing a strong case, there is one young aspirant to fame m the legal legions of Auckland who ' looked as though he meant what he said when he used the phrase m the Magistrate's Court the other day. LIOWEVER, it is not within the r * jurisdiction of Magistrate Hunt to send a man to the gallows and it can safely be assumed that this humane dispenser of the potions of justice appreciates the fact He dispelled the gloomy visions of dangling ropes and treacherous trapdoors by reminding Lawyer Mervin Adams that the extent of a magisterial sentence for such offences as failing to maintain could only be a term of imprisonment. It was Theresa Grice, wife of Norman Grice, who provided Lawyer Adams with the authentic knowledge of Norman's affairs and ' behavior which counsel so forcefully applied In informing the court that Norman was a wayward husband not supporting his lawful spouse and offspring two. An order for £2/10/- a week was made against Grice at Te Aroha m September, 1924, bat arrears had mounted up to the startling figure of £174/12/-. Row much Norman thought about Theresa and his children was evident from the meagre amount he had paid during the last fourteen months — £22/18/-. ■ . "He has money and is floating around with another girl having a good time," said counsel, m pointing out that the husband was earning £5 a week, employed by the Franklin Electric Power Board at Pukekohe. "Why have you let It go so far?" inquired his worship. i "We couldn't find him, sir. He only started to work for the power board last July. Norman will probably receive a shock when he realises that the only way he can avoid serving a term of imprisonment is to comply with the existing order, plus ten shillings a week off the arrears.