HEARD THE GIRL WAS "HOT STUFF"!

NZ Truth, Issue 1185, 16 August 1928, Page 4

HEARD THE GIRL WAS "HOT STUFF"!

Mary Hay Was Shfckett^-JSke Daughter Sitting On M^^apd 9 $ Knee

MOTHER VOICES DOtMTSABOm 1 HER CHILD

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative.)

ANOTHER POPULAR MYTH has been exploded. It is no hnger correct to say that' every- 'mother 'knows '-her. own child, for it seems there are times when a woman cannot with tmlhjplace her hand over her heart and with tears of joy m her eyes, as she gazes fondly on, her offspring, stiy: "This is my child, my very oWn."' Well, of course, this cannot be laid down as a general principle, but there is one Woman; at least, who has publicly Voiced serious doubts as to her maternal ownership of her daughter.

THIS woman 'Vho has shattered the belief of centuries Is Mary Russell Hay, of Church Bay, ■liytteltori, but then she Is a,, woman of many doubts about many things^-as she revealed m her unsuccessful application fpr separation and maintenance, . yirhich she brought m the' Christchurch? Mainten r ance : Court against her .farmer husband, John Thomas . Hay; on the* grounds ,of his alleged persistent cruelty and drunkenness. j Whether Mis Hay's daughter is* really her daughter or not, one thing is beyond doubt — that the mother and the girl are far removed from the status of bosom friends. „ To begin with, Mrs. Hay was shocked to her veiy soul because her daughter was wont r to sit on her papa's lap; considering , she was; 23 years of age— well, her mother {'simply could not approve. *, , Mrs Hay also wiote her daughter a very-much-to-the-pomt letter, m which she told hei she did not want her back home. * 1 This was after'she 1 had been told that her daughter was "hot stuff." Apart from her complaints concerning the gnl, which were elicited during the course ,of cross-examinatidn, Mrs. Hay painted hei-y. husbarid m- the blackest colors. v But ineither I-lay nor the daughter had any opportunity of telling their versions, as the magistrate was so little impressed with the wife's catalogue of complaints that he dismissed the case \vithout calling on the. other side ■ Just what reliance 'could be placed oh; Mrs. Hay's diatribe; against husband and daughter may be computed from the magisterial decision X.a\vyer Frank Sargent, who appeared,to champion Mrs Hay, m outlining the facts of his case, said it would be a strong one of persistent cruelty and. habitual inebriety Staggering Reply 1 . Evidence would .'be called, to show that Hay had been; treated by a medical man on one occasion and that he was very-, abusive. His habits .had not improved with the passing of years and his wife had been compelled to put up with a great deal at his hands Lawyer Sargent, before the case was through, found .'himself at- serious cross-purposes with Magistrate.Lawry. There was a row between them, culminating 'm counsel throwing down his brief and declining to ask I any further questions. , But to the story of Mrs. Hay's I grievances. . A well-built woman of buxpni'proportionsy with a ! very voluble tongue, m spite of a thin, squeaky voice,. sihe commenced; her narrative by informing the court that she had been ,qn the verge of leaving" her husband five- years ago, but .."had changed her mind, as she thought he would get 'on better if she stayed 1 . In, spite of her continued presence under the Hay; roof, however, her husband did not improve. * Three yeais ago, ,Dr Gilmour was called 'm to see him She had sent foi the medico as she had hit her husband on account of the "language" he had used towards her. , "His conduct is no better," bleated Mrs. Hay m ti emulous tones. "He is always accusing me of- thieving and telling lies about him He is always jTunnmg down my people — and as foi the language he has used to me . . well, I could. not lepeat it" To 'her-, counsel, Mis Hay- said that her husband did his di inking 01^ Saturdays "and when he can get it.'\ "No," she? admitted, "I don't see much of it m the daytime, because I am away -a good deal, but I hoar him at nig-ht " I ' She* added that she did sewing to supplement her income t Further,' Mis Hay explained that her husband brought home* the gioceiies on Saturdays — and "also a bottle of iimiiiuuiiuniiliiiiiiiiiiHiiiiuiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniinMiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin

whisky^ with him, which he drinks and then kicks up.a noise." "Yes, ; he has struck me once or twice, but not very often. I left , .him last Saturday, week." Discussing prohibition orders which had affected the alleged drinking potations of Hay, his wife declared that he had not-had one against him for the past .six years. Lawyer C. -S. Thomas then com:. menced a rlgpfousi cross-examination and scuttled complainants case m no time. : . •■ • --> ■ "..'•'. ■ ' '' '. Now, Mrs. Hay, is it not a fact. that your behavior; drove your; daughter out of the house? — No, it is riot, and anybody who says so is/telling a deliberate lie. -.;..; ,'. : ■ ■ . .■. % .>; Well, .were you happy with your daughter? l -! was not happy with her. I complained about her behavior and she called me "a -." ' : Yes, but you accused her of. immorality, diet you not, arid she had to get out of trie 'house?— No. •. ■ You wrote letters to your daughter, did ;you riot?-^Yes, I' told her- that if she came home" she would have to take second place; . that if she wanted to' sitdown she would sit on a chair and not on her father's lap. I Counsel was staggered, but only for

a moment. "What!" he exclaimed in r credulously, "do you suggest that it is improper- for a daughter to sit on her father's lap?" / . , '- '' • Mrs. Play thought it was. /'!' say It is not the. proper thing to do," r she.reV torted primly. ' . ■■ '":•.' Lawyer' Thomas: ;Oh, so you suggest, do you that' a father should not take his daughter on his lap?r--He did ridt do 'so when the children were young! Do .you suggest that there is anything immoral about it? — Np, „ but it, was not the thing to, do. '. ' Counsel then produced a letter which Mis Hay had sent £0 her daughter.. It was far. from complimentary, for m it she said .she did. nof.warilS her, daughter to come home ; because of the mischief-makingr and tale -bearing,, she would n'ot.haye her back. . , '..■■ She also threatened to let '& certain gentleman" know about her behavior. Mrs. Hay 'had; been told that' her daughter, ■■'was' -.hot stuff.".' Liawyer Thomas on -this point, to ask a few pointed Questions concerning ma-terfal-duty: ; , \■ , .•..•', '■ '. . ■' ■ , Counsel: Now, do- you think that was the right sort, of letter to send to your daughter ?-^-Yes, I do; she deserved it., Magistrate: How' old was your daughter when you, ;sent .thab.-letter?-^-She 'was' 23. , v ; -v ..■/- ,<■ ■ ' Lawyer Thomas: After a11,., she is your daughter, and even .if" f she was.

'-'hot stuff,", was that the kind of letter to write? Were yriu told that she was "hot; stuff ?.?,'— Yes. • V .1 • ' ; Who lild you that?— A man- told ; my .■nephew. , : l .'-- ■■'■"■■ ■■■. '■■.-■■:'■'■■ ■■' ■•' .But V surely, J\lrs. Hay, this girl is your own daughter? — I amtnot.Jgp sure that she." is my,' daughter! ; She does not behave like one.. •. _ .' • r . "' • . , ■ You actually say sh'eMs. .riot your daughter?-— Well, ; I was; very ".'ill 1 for. a lpng.c long, timV when /she was 'bprn. .'',■■'■:'■ So you arei.not surViHthenir; that '.she is your daughter?— No! , v Well; are you. sure that your "son: is yours?^— I am quite'sure.' . - Now, do -y.pu!;,think v yo:u were -quite justified m- writing that le'tter?— -Yes. -The , bench r : Had ;;you spoken .to her ■toefbre' 'you, wrote-! it?^-Yes; 1 had ' ! spoken.-to,.^e'r' and: she: called' me,"a; ,-r-^:"v;- 1 was .going .to 'strike her. for saying it, : but Hay 'got ;between^.u"s.. ! Thomas :^ ;Ydu were i fairly •^f re% with .your Jian d s ? — Yes; :in the way ■of "sewing,- 'but not- hitting. , \ .'• 'X* • , ,'- ': ; < ;But you hay'p used' y out-^hatids to hit > with-.', • Jiavei-y ou riot vf^esl fif have, to Mr ; Hay; :;^:'- t : ' ; : : ; $ %S^:-. 'i -* And 'what idid^ you haveVin 'your hand on that occasion?— The brooms i :- .- •sDid •you^nOt.vthrow p r epper 'm your husband's eyeV' on one occasio,n 7^l threw pepper at. him> once, but what ■could I'dp.when I, was goaded to do 'sbmfestiirig'?-, ; r ■ „■ ■'*,s£:■■ -'■".' r, ? ; ■■■■:-.'' ; -^es, w | ell-,.'what did^you do?— I pickefl upHh^'pejDpfirrßpt..': ■ '.-X '"■ •S: ■.':■''' \ * : ;{And threw -it m his- ey^s ?-^-Np. ■-I did not int'|en;cl- ; > tof r t:ihr9w: / it. ; in--his' l^'ace'. "I. threw it at Jiis Jvaistcoat. 5 '■'';< ; \ But it went m his face, instead ? ■ 4 v~Ves,,s4t:d.id,.i'- ; - : A; V .^;, > v '^ .'■'? .'."'V. '■ I/n.wye'r| Thomas' then apprpaQhed the question Tof Hay's alleged ', drinking habits, j : ''. ' ; ' • 1;..' . ,•./■.,•■■'.. ■■"•, ... ' Cp.unsel:. ;> Does -your husband «v«r

f— — . . — — . show signs of drinking, excent'at weekends?—l should think so. He has ten cows to .milk, has he not?— Yes, and I. have often helped him to milk them. ' There have been times' when T have had to milk .them myself because, he was drunk. It was on one of these occasions that she had "cracked his head." Counsel: Now, Mrs. Hay, is not the real reason for this case the fact that you want to get right away from the Bay and don't like the house? — No, it is because of my husband's filthy language. ; . . You ■ said that the house was hot fit •to ! live m? — No, I have not said that altogether. * ' Your. husband has treated you well as regards money?— l .can't pee it. It was ' elicited by. co.unsel that Mrs. Hay received £1 per week and did. not have to buy groceries out of that sum. 1 . 1 She also received something from the fruit. ' Counsel then produced her husband's cheque-book, showing the cash payments that had been made to her, disclosing that she had not been kept short 6i. ready money. Something; was. 'then, said about "silences", m • the home, and Mrs. Hay was asked to give a definition. ': ' ; Lawyer. Thomas: Now, you talk about .silences; How long do they last?— -Until he starts to -jaw at me. ■ And how long do these silences continue;?:;— Sometimes for a week. ■ Do you ;, think" that helps to brighten up; a man? — Well, you know, '"A still tongue m a wise head . ". ■'." ' ■■■ ■■:: ■■■■-.;■■•..■,,,■• "Yes,"' retorted coujisel; . "it sometimes makes, an angry man." . , ■ Continuing ; his -cross-examination: When .the: neighbors^ come m; do you welcome them, ;s.P to speak; with open arms ?^No, I- don't, but I do when women; visitors come.;;, ■ V.^ ; ■ ■&■.' . ■■' .'•-.. v ; .■ -.' ■'"■•' " : jChunsel Rebuked Don't .you -. use these visits from, neighbors .as 6'ccasions for blowing off a lot of ■ hot' air about your husband before , these men? — No, I don't. . „. .So I" take .it.. then,, that 'no matter what your Jhusband. does or what he says, you^are -not going to. live .with him^rr^No,;!. am not! , • ■ '. ■ '■• ■ , •'. Counsel resumed 'his seat and Lawyer Sargent, rose to re-examine. With his first question .he struck- trouble. "When, did you 'hit your ,■ husband with . the' broom ?"- began counsel, when the magistrate interrupted. "I dpn't want to hear that— that was years , ago," said the S:M. . . Lawyer Sai'gent: ' "Yes, your worship, but 'my learned friend made a big point of the incident." . The bench: "Well," I heard the explanation, if you did not." 'Counsel: "Well, if your worship got it, well and! good, but I wish your worship would ,be a little more patient -The bench: "Now, Mr. Sargent, you are'oTd enough to know'better than that!" Bpthi;bench and counsel were by this time" ; getting somewhat hot ' under.' the collar. ■V' : \ ■■. - .:.;■'.'■ (father heatedly) : . "If your worship. would be more patient m giving" me an opportunity of presenting my case. ' . , You have repeatedly interrupted me." : .' * ■. :'. .■■ .. -The S.M. 'flushed a deep red and the 'r'bw bubbled over. "Repeatedly,. Mr. Sargent, repeatedly?'.' he said.-. "I have interrupted you , once ! " ' 1 • Counsel threw his brief down on the. table. "iVery well; I- will ask no more Question's of the witness," , he snapped and sat down. ■•.,-. ""■ : It ;was the end of an interesting case, for without calling on the defence to state its version of Mrs. Hay's complaints, the magistrate dismissed the application! : ..,.'• Looking soniewhat\ at a loss, Mrs. 1 Hay ambled from the. box and left the court. : '." ; ■"-■ ' :■ ; • : 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 it 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ■ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 it 1 1 1 1 1 iii 1 1 1 ■ i ( it 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1