HIS BARGAIN

NZ Truth, Issue 1187, 30 August 1928, Page 7

HIS BARGAIN

Arthur Was Given A Cheap Let-up (From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Reiu>)' With, his long experience on the end ofthe judioial spoon which ladles justice from the melting-pot of the Auckland Maintenance Court, Magistrate Hunt should be a competent commentator m the matter of judgments from" a litigant's point of view. QO that Arthur Gordon McDonald, billiard-room proprietor, of Dominr ion Road Terminus, should have no compunction m accepting his worship's assurance that a separation order with maintenance at 15/- per week m respect of his wife; Winifred McDonald, is virtually, and m McDonald's own -interests — a bargain. . In making the order, after hearing both sides, of what is evidently a case of matrimonial misfit, Magistrate Hunt passed the remark to McDonald, that m view of what had "been told to the court, separation would be more of a privilege and "cheap" at 15/- per week. Well-dressed and with every sign of being weli-cared for, Winifred McDonald entered the witness-box at the behest of Lawyer Greig. THB WIFE SPEAKS They were married, complainant stated, m the year 1921. A little over 12 months ago complainant left ncr husband and for a time — until about nine weeks ago — was m receipt of £ 1 a week from him, She now prayed for an order for separation and maintenance v on the grounds of failing tc support. Mrs. McDonald considered it was impossible for her to live happily with her husband, and recently he had been In the habit of visiting her place m Monmouth Road and sometimes causing a disturbance. To cross-examination, witness denied that her house had been used for regular "keg" parties at which sailors were guests. The only party she had had at the house during the last twelve months had been a birthday gathering.' ,- Magistrate: Did you have them before? — Two birthday parties, and Mr. McDonald was present at one of them. Counsel: Are you sure there were nfl sailors at the parties twelve months ago? — Yes. To further queries complainant admitted having been m a motor-car accident with a girl and two men, and that she had a girl stopping with her who had paid .10/- a week for a room. The latter had supplemented an income of 25/- a week for the letting of a flat. Witness had also taken a . trip to Sydney to see her sick daughter. On leaving the box, witness was joined by her husband who seated himself beside her and entered into close conversation. v Salina Keenan, a smartly-attired, young girl whose toilet betrayed a. liberal use of the lip -stick, corroborated complainant's assertion that McDonald had visited the house m Monmouth Road under the influence of liquor and had made use of bad language. LANGUAGE RETURNED ? Taking the witness-box,. Arthur McDonald denied that he had been, to his wife's place of . residence whilst" under the' influence of liquor. That he had used bad language, he admitted, but, he asserted, had "got as good back." The house property he had put m his wife's name some four years ago. In substantiation of his counsel's contention that complainant had" used her home for "keg" parties and the entertainment of sailors, defendant claimed -to have seen two or three empty five-gallon kegs on one occasion when he visited the house. He was, he said, a widower when he married Mrs. McDonald who was then a divorced woman. "It is cheap .at the price," observed the bench m making an order for separation with maintenance at 15/- ; per week. As the parties left the courtroom, McDonald appeared to display a lingering affection for his wife m the manner m which he carefully assisted her tQ don her fur- coat. iimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiimimcmuimnmiiiimmiiiiiimmiiimiimimniiniimiim niimmiiimimmmMiiiiiiiimmimiiliimiiiimitii iiiimiimimimmimiimimmiiiiimittramtmi