TWO VERSIONS

NZ Truth, Issue 1178, 28 June 1928, Page 8

TWO VERSIONS

Rowses Story Didn't Go Down (From "N.Z; Truth's" Christchurch Rep.) It was most unfortunate for William Charles. • Leonard Rowse ' when he went to the Christohurch ■ Maintenance Court with an application for a variation of a maintenance order In respect of a child of his. lAWYERC. S. THOMAS appeared to *•* oppose the application, and during ] his cross-examination Bowse heard more plain truths about himself than ho could have anticipated. . It was elicited- that the order was made 'against Rowse m Greytown m 1922 for ten shillings per week. He maintained that the boy was now earning: 15/ i weekly. Rowse's matrimonial troubles were mentioned, as were his alleged drinking habits. • Having done his best to put the brightest complexion possible on his behavior as a husband and a father, Rowse was referred tor an affidavit which oounsel pro- . duced and from which he read extracts. It was an affidavit which, counsel said, had been made by Rowse's brother, David, m connection with former legal proceedings m which . William had figured. ./ J What his. brother had said m his affidavit was by no means complimentary. - " ■■ . . ' ■ ' ■ It contained statements to the effect that Rowse was invariably drunk and that he ■ had "knocked his wife about." William bristled m the witness-box and glared across at counsel. "What my brother said; eh?'V he rasped. : ' .. He halved himself Up m the box. "I'll tell you what my brother told me, 1 ' he went on. "He said I should do like hinv-~get my wife into the bedroom away from the children and give her a good hid- ' ine.'f ; .•■■■'.■■ ■=■■■.■■■■,.:-,■■ •"."■■■■■■ ..:■.- He then went' on "to say ihat his milk -run busiriess / was hot t paying.- as well as he would like it lo pay, . but added that he was giving his, "boy pocket-money-ra ' shilling a -, day and two shillings on Saturday. The, Bench: "You can pay all right." There was. no variation, of the order. .