VINDICTIVE? John Held In Pale of The Law

NZ Truth, Issue 1194, 18 October 1928, Page 8

VINDICTIVE? John Held In Pale of The Law

(From,"N.Z. Truth's" ■■Wellington' Rep.) , John Nicholas Barber has a vindictive wife-r-at, least he himself says so. In March last, maintenance orders m favor of his wife ■ and] chilcj were made against him, but because he didn't come to light 1 with the "necessary," she had warrants for his arrest issued. QNE warrant apparently didn't satisfy Elizabeth Rose Barber. There were two orders— one m respect of her Own maintenance and one for the children. On one, John went tq prison for three months, while , the other still remained hanging over his head. When he regained his liberty. Barber paid soniethihg tbwa'rds the support of one child, but this failed to satisfy his spouse, who, last week, had the /other warrant executed, and the luckless husband again found hjmself within the grasp of the law.. ■ • When be appeared m the Wellington Mnintenapce Court before Magistrate Salmon, Lawyer A. B. Seivwrisrht had quite a lot to say -oh his behalf. "., The- wife, said counsel, was so ' vindictive, she took every opportunity ;to have Barber arrested. He had not been given a chance to find, work and meet his payments on the orders.. He. had only been released on August' lß. • ■ ■ ■■.'.■ .>..'. . ' . ' ' ' . Mrs. Barber had come to her husband and "fold him that of her three children, only one was his. This child she left m his ciire. "The wife is at present living- with a. man named Brady,"; -added counsel. ( . . Counsel : - I desire to have the man released so as to. give him air oppoiv tunity to meet his obligations. '.'. Maintenance .Officer: Under "what Section of the -Act, sir. can he have the warrant suspended? # Counsel: I'll attehd to that, Mr. Manning; if yoi|,yill be quiet a- minute we will get on a lot faster?);"- .■'' ■:.' When, the much-abused Barber step■p.ed intp the, 'Uo'x, he tbl<j the court there were three' children mentioned m the order. He had one of : them, as h|s wife sent it back. '■ £ ".'■_':•■ : • '. • : Counsel: Did she say that was ' the drily one that belonged^ to you? '■rrYes. ■• .'..'. . : ' ,■'.'.• ■ Maintenance Officer: Have you not openly stated. that you. would not pay? ~No, I've, not had it to pay. ; . The behchf These prder^ were, made against you m March last, Barber. Why don't you p^y something off your "wife's order? — Who would, under the circumstances? ... He had no power to suspend the warrantj but he could order Barber to be released on payment of a nominal sum. This he fijiced. at 1/-. • '•■•■' ."■ -A ■■-.■■'■■■."■■ ' ■'•