PUBLICAN TO SHOWMAN

NZ Truth, Issue 1180, 12 July 1928, Page 5

PUBLICAN TO SHOWMAN

Once Wealthy, Now Hinds Himself Up Against Tilings

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Hastings Representative.) There was a time when Ernest Odium was mine host of the Albert Hotel, Hastings. Those were Ernie's, palmy days.

IT was fairly common knowlerdge that he was pretty "well m" and financial problems did not worry hint. But to-day, Ernest Odium, has fallen down a bit on his luck. Last week found him m the Hastings Magistrate's Court, under arrest. from Palmerston North, on a charge of being m arrears to the extent of £56 10s. for. the maintenance of the two children to his first wife, who is how re-married to a well-known Hawkes^Bay farmer. When called to answer the charge, Ernest admitted the arrears, but his trouble was that he had not the money to pay up. ■ . '■ He told Magistrate Mowlem that he indulged m a second matrimonial venture nearly two years ago and by his second wife he had one child. Times had been hard with him. At present he was "doing" the shows with a waffle machine and picking up odd Jobs which came his way. ' He had averaged about £2 10s. per week and had to pay 30/- rent, His whole trouble was that he could neither read nor write and this made it difficult for him to get work. / Lawyer C Duff: Who did you marry? — Miss Goer. ♦ Is she the one you were carrying on with before you separated from your late wife?— Wait a minute. . . . Never mind. You and she lived together, didn't you?— No. Oh! AH right. She was one of the causes of your troubles, wasn't she?^— Yes. . ■ •■" ■' ■■' ■ v.. ■ . This is the fifteenth information against you, isn't it?— l can't say. And the fifth warrant issued for your arrest ?-^-I don't know. ! You don't want to pay this maintenance, do you?~- I would pay if I had the money, but it 'ls too much for me to pay." ' .' V ■„... \ ■■.■■:■■ What! Fifteen shillings a week f«r-. yoqr own two daughters? — 'Yes.; . ' '.. ' ;■. ' ; ■ • Do you know that your tprmer wife owes a lot of hospital accounts for these two girls?— She always did.

That was our 'trouble when 'we had* plenty. It was nothing for her to run up accounts for £30 or £40 m drapers' shops. Have you got a oar?~No, You came, to Hastings, m a "car? — Yes. '■':'.■■ ■■ • '/.-. Whose?— My wife's. She bought it, by paying £10 down for it. You lived m Napier Street, Palmerston North?— Yes. . ! Under the name of Mr. Carter? — No. ' Do, you work as a barman?— Yes. And you kept a hotel once?— Yea. Last Sunday you motored from Palmerstori to see your former wife?— Yes. ,' ■- At your own expense?— Tes. I paid her £10. What can you pay off the arrears?— I can't pay anything off, the way things are! '■■'■■■■/■. ■ . -.-..■ . ■ ■• . ■ On October 26 last you were sen- j tenced to two, months, the warrant to be suspended' if you paid £15 forthwith and 10/- a week off the arrears?— That is right. But you didn't pay the £16 until the warrant was issued?— No. At each prosecution you said you could not pay, but you always managed it after the warrant was issued? — I borrowed the money. You go to the shows with waffles? — Yes. • • ; -. • " .'.-■■■ What did you make at Hawera? — £8 ■ At Palmerston North?— £l6. And you are. going to Auckland?— Yes.. ' .. .■'■■' ■ And you didn't go under an assumed name?— No, I have always used my own name. I am well known all over New Zealand, Everyone, knows me. His worship said that defendant had not dealt fairly with his two children. • He knew there were complications through re-marriages on both sides, but this did not alter the position. Odium would .be sentenced to two months' imprisonment," the warrant to be suspended as long as the current maintenance was promptly paid and 5/- per week off the arrears.