A GRAMOPHONE BEFORE HIS WIFE

NZ Truth, Issue 1143, 27 October 1927, Page 5

A GRAMOPHONE BEFORE HIS WIFE

Si (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) || If ifEVIN FRANCIS BURNS must be very fond— passionately fond— || II ■**■ of music. So carried away by his artistic temperament was he, || 11 that he chose to pay off a debt on a musical instrument instead of || ii supporting his wife and child. .II II "Fifteen months married and he left me last Christmas," was the y II story of Linda Dominion Burns, the wife, when she asked Magistrate || li Hunt last week to make an order for maintenance. "The last money || \\ I got from him was m June, when he gave me 35/-. I have only had y fl £6 from him since Christmas." II li Kevin Francis had been arrested and stood m the dock when the |§ II stern voice of the S.M. asked him to explain. After they parted, he || II said, he was only earning £2/5/- a week and out of this amount he || II had been paying off a debt. II \\ Magistrate Hunt: "What debt"?— "A back debt." . f| l| "Yes, but. what sort of debt? — "A gramophone, sir.'' . || jji "A gramophone!" repeated his worship, his voice rising to a high ff II pitch. Kevin looked as though he wished he had said a perambulator. || II Continuing, he blamed Linda for domestic discord. She left him || II when they were living comfortably m a cottage; he said, and — m the ff II good old style — went back to mother. ' 1| H Even a letter which he had instructed an eminent city lawyer to || II send would not bring her back to his loving care. ' la II Linda was asked to step back into the witness-box, in answer to her || |l husband's contentions. She handed a bundle of letters to the bench. §§ ll "Sorry I cannot give you any money . . ." read the S.M. from H §1 the first, letter he took from the envelope." I have to pay insurance || II and union fees . . . Then I must give something towards Miss || |1 Brown's wedding present and that will not leave mti much." || If This was enough for Magistrate Hunt and as he settled the order || |1 at 30/- a week he reminded Burns that he could either pay it or take || If It out m Mt. Eden gaol. || II The following morning Burns was charged with bigamy and re- |f II manded until to-day. ; || fjfi— iiii.i nnnm-ir-ir— Tvrr-n — m ' .■■■■..■■■...... i. miuiiiiuiur- 1 jj_m— ——■!—»—— iiiiiiiiwhiwiiim'iw ihiiiiiiib mimi—wiiiiMM «n iiiiniTru nmn iiiiriiiiiTiiiimiiiiiiiiriririiiimiiii'irnTiiiimrrnmiriiriiiUMiM^