NO BED OF ROSES

NZ Truth, Issue 1206, 10 January 1929, Page 7

NO BED OF ROSES

Itinerant Hawker and Bible Student's Complaint About Married Life MORE SUPPORT FOR HIS WIFE

It took John William Stanton twenty years to find out that his married life was not altogether a bed of roses. At the age of 62 he stood m the maintenance court at Gisborne to : settle the all-important question as to what would be a fair contribution towards the support of his wife. John Willie had ideas on the matter which were nearly a hundred per cent, below those of the magistrate.

IN order to keep the wolf from the door Stan ton calls at the doors of folk m Gisborne, prevailing upon them, as best he can, to purchase drapery and what-nots from him.. . * However satisfactorj^. the results of his efforts may be to himself, they failed to add sufficiently to the material welfare and comfort of his wife and family, so his wife sought the aid of the court m compelling John Willie to contribute to her support. The parties had been espoused for 20 years or more, and the husband had continued to add to his years until, at the time his . little troubles were ventilated m public, he confessed to an age of three score years and. two. In spite of John Willies years there were, however, the rather unusual allegations that there Avere other women m the case. The defence maintained that they were "business acquaintances" only. When Magistrate Levvey was called upon to adjudicate ; :

it was stated that the parties we re agreed upon ■ the all-important point that the husband should contribute

to his wife's support. , John Willie, therefore, was placed within the .-box, ■.-.to, teil of the profits accruing from his peregrinating purveyance of petticoats arid pins, pants and pyjamas, at popular prices.

Either prices were over popular or business far from brisk, for Jqlin Willie deposed that his earnings averaged only £ 3 a week; Out '■ of this he thought he could find 25/- for Ms wife. When he declared that his married life had not been a bed of roses, Lawyer; Wauchop, who appeared for the wife, suggested that this was his own fault, whereupon the witness made the cryptic reply: "Not altogether; partly, perhaps." Lawyer Wauchop : The trouble was that you were unfaithful to your wife, wasn't it ?-No, : . : . John Willie admitted, however, that he had an idea' who the "ladies" were whom his wife's counsel had in mind. Lawyer Wauchop: Didn't you admit m front of your stepson and your daughter-in-law that you had been un-

The"Rasselites"

faithful " to your wife? — No. They must have misunderstood me. Well, didn't . you give your wife j& sealed letter addressed to Magistrate Levvey and : tell her it was a confes--sion? — No. ;Y must have been misunderstood again. ■ ■■..■■- The idea of the letter was ib let her get a separation, but when she opened it she found that " you were whitening your charactef? — A man wouldn't, blacken his. own character. ': Lawyer Wauchop: You went out-into the kitchen crying and saying; "you couldn't keep away from these ladies; and admitting that you had broken your word?— No.

You belong to a religious sect . known as :"The; Peculiar Peopfe," T don't you?— No, the International ' Bible Students' Society. , _■ ' ,' They are known as "Russell te^" aren't they?: — I have heard them called -..." ■• that.

And they are also known . as "The Peculiar People" ?— They may call themselves that; I don't know. You were an elder m the church?— I was, but I'm not now. "■"■ Was that . because they discovered the double life you were leading? — I don't think they discovered anything. I didn't attend the annual meeting and wasn't elected.

You sent donations to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ? — I sent money m payment of books I sold for them. '■-,;■ That sect doesn't belieVe m providing any more than food, and shelter* and when you left your wife you told her that was all you intended to prqvide?^j'Np. ■■•■•■-. ■ ■./...:'... After a short dialogue between John Willie and the. v bench, .the latter remarked: "You I don't know how your wife is going to Jive, arid it, seems' to me you don't care." ■ Proceedings were brought to a close with the signing of ah order for separation and maintenance at the rate of £2 per week| so John Willie will have to speed up the hawking ibusinesß.