IN THE NECK?

NZ Truth, Issue 1153, 5 January 1928, Page 5

IN THE NECK?

Father To Maintain

Son's Wife

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Wellington Rep.)

It was all a matter of £. s. d. a but when, for that matter, doesn't pecuniary consideration creep into ad our doings? And it has been causing Ronald Thomas Ferguson

some concern for a considerable

time. CEPARATED from his wife, he is in receipt of £ 4 19s. a week as wages and out of this he is supposed to pay his better half £1 2s. 6d. a week and a like amount for the upkeep of his three 'children, who are all in a Salvation Army home. - Some six weeks or so ago he applied to Magistrate Salmon in the Wellington Maintenance Court for a variation of the order, stating then, that he was only on part-time work and was a nervous physical wreck. The doctor had ordered him a change, but he was not in a position to leave his work and responsibilities. The bench then told him that tt it was imperative that he should have a change he should take it. He would not be prosecuted. The matter of maintenance would be overcome somehow. Ferguson, however, preferred to stay at his job. The trouble is, the money he pays over for the maintenance of his wife and children all goes to the upkeep of the children in the home, the wife not receiving one penny piece of it. Last week, however, through her counsel, Xawyer A. B. Sievwright, she applied to Magistrate Salmon to have the order, increased, failing which Bhe asked that the grandfather of the children might be ordered to contribute something towards their Bupport. When Alfred Craig Ferguson, grandfather, entered the box, he said he was a partner in the "firm of Stevenson and Ferguson. He resided at the Hutt, '■where ho supported a wife. All h« drew from the firm was £4 and sometimes £5 and £1 expenses. He was not able to contribute anything. Magistrate Salmon, however, said he thought Grandfather A. G, Ferguson was in a position to pay something towards the upkeep of the children and made an order for 7/6 a week,: for oaeh child, with .''"^solicitor's' Goata two guineas. Security for appeal whb fixed 4t seven guineas. . The- information against the husband Sraa dismissed with costs ono Kuinodk ■ ; : ~ "_■ . ' ':-■' ■' ' »i '■■''-"■•'-'