ON THE RACES

NZ Truth, Issue 1143, 27 October 1927, Page 3

ON THE RACES

Where Her Husband's ■ Money Went (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.) '. Geraldine Nellie Thacker seemed quite perturbed when Lawyer Sel. ' Clark, with whom she came to the Auckland Maintenance Court last week to place the ruffles of her married life under the judicial iron, asked her to proceed with her story. "DUT I have already explained it all to you, Mr. Clark," she said, obviously very nervous. "I know you have," encouraged that encyclopaedist of maintenance law, "and I want you now to tell the court." So Geraldine proceeded. It was not her first application, for as recently as January last she had obtained an order for £4 a week against her husband, Frederick George. | He had not paid m the amount regrilarly and by coming together again three months ago domestic affairs had resumed their old regime. So far as witness could tell, her husband, a commercial traveller, was earning £5 a week. His handling of the weekly fiver did not tend towards connubial comfort; m fact, his "household system was of such a character that Mrs. Thacker and the four children did not always have sufficient food. Living at Devonport, they -were m arrears with the rent, while there was still owing £6 or £7 for the last place they occupied. There was also a grocer's bill unpaid, which witness thought was about £4, although she had hot seen the account. Even for the staff of life, the - cupboard often went begging, because the thoughtless husband failed to bring

enough home. Sometimes he would bring one loaf and other days two. Then there was the milk. A milkman had called for about a week and then refused to leave any more without the cash being left outside. For meat and vegetables, the husband placed each day m his wife's hand the handsome sum of 9d.; sometimes — on special occasions, no doubt — he would stretch a point and make it a shilling. In the matter of clothes, both for herself and children Geraldine had again drawn a blank. "How long is it since your husband bought you any clothes?" asked her counsel. "Is it as long as two years ago?" "It must be more than three years ago," replied the unhappy wife, further stating that her relatives and friends provided her with what was necessary for her wardrobe, while her husband's sisters came to light with clothing for the children. When asked what her husband did with his money the witness became pensive. "I think he goes gambling on racehorses. I see him constantly following up racing m the papers and he has a lot of friends with whom he talks about races." Frederick George was not present and had no legal, representative to listen to his wife's tale to the court. Geraldine was granted an order for separation and . guardianship, with maintenance of £3 a week.