AUTUMN'S GREEN FRUIT

NZ Truth, Issue 1153, 5 January 1928, Page 7

AUTUMN'S GREEN FRUIT

Darby and Joan Decide To Break , Over Finance Issue

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Speci

THAT an elderly couple who h< entwined in the bonds o: should, when the sands of life rwife applying for separation am fending the application, is certa.

HANNA McDONA'LD, 69 years of age, is either .a very eccentric old lady or else there is, underlying her application, a complaint of a more serious nature than the one of failure to maintain and intended failure to maintain upon which she based her application to the court at Wellington last week.

Lawyer Christie for the complainant and tawyer Jackson for the defendant at the outset were emphatic in their statements that { the matter should never have come to court at all, and in this Magistrate Salmon wholly agreed.

It appears that %ome time in 190S the parties were separated for a short period of five years, but ultimately the wife returned to live with her husband.

William McDonald, who is just on 80 years of age, has a small banking account of his own. The owner of a freehold property in tho city he . can sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labors as best suits his inclination. Hale and hearty, he does not look" anywhere near his age, and although his step is beginning to falter he can still carry

his four score years with pride. Hanna's contention is that William is too niggardly with the cash and

has only been allowing her a matter of about 25/- a week to keep the house going with. She told the court that money matters had been the trouble throughout their married life.

When they were first married ■ sne opened a small grocery business and also did a small amount of sewing work as well. With the proceeds from her own business she kept the House, William placing all the money he earned away under the clock.

That was why he was now in his present comfortable position. When she ultimately gave up the business, William in the natural order of things kept the pot boiling, but only up to a certain limit. She still had a little money of her own though.

Lawyer Christie said his client was 69 years of age and could not now look after the house and the work it entailed. She was also losing her eyesight, nor could she live on the starvation diet provided by her husband.

Lawyer Jackson: My friend must not lose sight of the fact that the defendant is just on 80. What funds the old

After 50 Years

The magistrate thought this was a

good offer and ad-

,1 Wellington Representative.)

ve been joined and even happily holy matrimony for 51 years re running low, come to court, the maintenance and the husband denly remote. . '

man possessed he naturally wanted to conserve in the interests of both. Their expenses were not heavy and the 25/---allowed the ' complainant was merely for food, which ought to be sufficient for these old people.

The Bench: Why don't they pool their resources?

Lawyer Jackson intimated that there was no earthly reason why these old people should be separated after.having lived together, except for a brief separation, for 51 years. Defendant was- quite willing to adequately maintain his wife and see to the upkeep of the home. He had no wish to be separated.

He suggested that £2 10s. would be ample for the purpose of maintenance, but it would mean eating into McDonald's capital. Even then, said counsel, there would be sufficient to carry the two on to the end of their days.

Lawyer Christie then raised the matter of Mrs. McDonald being unable to work, whereupon defendant, through his counsel, offered to pay her £2- a week for the house and also cover tfie expenses for the employment of a girl.

journed the court for ten minutes to allow the complainant time to confer with her daughter, then in court.

Later, when the matter was resumed, counsel for complainant told the bench that his client could not accept the offer and so the application for separation was proceeded with.

When all the evidence was placed before his worship, he intimated that it was not desirable that old people such as these two should be separated and refused to make an order. Maintenance for the wife, however, was fixed at £ 2 a week.

And so this Darby and Joan left the court with their respective clients, she no doubt preferring her £ 2 a week and possibly her daughter's residence to the same amount and a maid in her husband's household.

And what may have been his thoughts? Perhaps he was thinking that ere the sun Of life was set for them, once more his partner through life would become reconciled and return to end her days in peace and harmony in the old home which held so many memories.