IN NOMAN'S LAND

NZ Truth, Issue 1209, 31 January 1929, Page 6

IN NOMAN'S LAND

Woman Leaves Her Home At Stokes Valley Because It Was Too Lonely

MAINTENANCE ORDER TROUBLE

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

' Under ordinary circumstances, when a wife deserts her husband, she is not entitled to maintenance from him. William John Noman, a carrier, of Wellington, evidently thought along these lines when he cut off his wife's supply of cash and later applied to the court to cancel a maintenance order which had previously been made m her favor.

That she had some justification for leaving Noman 's land and house at Stokes Valley was apparently the opinion of Magistrate McNeil, for he dismissed the man's application.

FROM the evidence it appeared that early m September of last year,

Magistrate Salmon made an order m favor of Mrs. Noman, granting her 35/- a Aveek and the right to occupy a room m her husband's house at Isiatul Bay. ln December, Noman decided to let the place and just prior to Ciiristinas moved out to Stokes Valley. His wife didn't Avant tp go and slept on the bare boards m the Island Buy home for two nights. Ultimately she agreed to join her husband at Stokes Valley, but as the couple Avere not on speaking terms and she Avas alone all day, the isolation of the place at last became unbearable, and she returned to tOAvn. Thereupon her husband cut' short the supply of cash. ' Noman explained part of this to the court under the guidance of Lawyer A. B. Sievwright. . He said he did not shift the furniture to the Valley until after he had received an intimation from his Ante's solicitors that she Avas prepared to go there. • He had to cook his own meals and do everything for himself. Mrs. Noman attended to her own wants. There were neighbors m the Valley and he made arrange- • ments with a private car owner to

"would not speak -to mc. at the Valley. He told me to go and sy.y what I had to say to a solicitor." Lawyer Sievwright: There was a discussion about £200. Mrs. Noman: Oh, no. there wasn't. Yoji wouldn't get twopence from him, let alone £200. "My husband turned me out of Island -Bay to get £2/5/- a week rent," she ackisd. "When I was at Stokes Valley he said I could go, ancl then he wouldn't have to keep me." "Have you got any money of your own?"' asked Lawyer Leicester. "About threepence,"' was the smiling reply. Lawyer Sievwright: You refused to cook his food or attend to liis clothes at the Valley? . . Mrs. Noman: It was not m the order. Counsel: You want the money, but you won't carry out your wifely duties? There are other people living at the Valley? — Yes, m one or two little places. Did you meet any of them? — YeS, two. Two m a fortnight; that's one v week. Questioned about going back to

take Mrs. Noman into town if she wanted to go. To Lawyer W. ___!. Leicester, Mrs. Noman's legal guide, Noman said he was getting old and wanted some comforts. He was not prepared to revert to the old arrangements. Counsel: Have you any other property besides the one at Island Bay and apart from thc Stokes Valley place? Noman: Yes, I have a house of four rooms at Sussex Street. Lawyer Sievwright: Occupied by the fairies. Noman: I haven't collected any rent from it for five weeks. That's how good it is. Lawyer Leicester said the application was an ingenious attempt to throw dust m the eyes-bf the court. It was impossible for Mrs. Noman to live at the Valley m isolation. Further, tfce peculiarly-worded order made by Magistrate Salmon provided for her having a room m the Island Bay home. Mrs. Noman was quite happy there and had an attachment for the place. Elizabeth Alice Noman told the court that she had no income or money apart from what she had been receiving from her husband. She said he took the furniture out of the .Island Bay honie on December S, not the 24th. Stokes Valley was too quiet and lonely for her as she was used. to city life. Lawyer -Sievwright: There are hundreds of people living at Stokes Valley. , -• Mrs. Noman: Yes; they're the ones that are at Porirua now. "My husband," said Mrs. Noman,

the Valley, Mrs. Noman said she v/ould rather go to gaol than return. "Sand your wife- out there,"' she said to her husband's counsel, "and see how she would like it." Lawyer Sievwright: There are hundreds of people out there who come m to work every day? Mrs. Noman: Yes; who have got motor-cars. Mrs. 'Noman mentioned a trip to the Valley m her husband's lorry. "He was nagging at me all thc w<iy out about an old panama hat," she said. "It was <&. hat he had twelve years ago and I burnt it four years ago." (Laughter). "He accused me of stealing his trousers," she said. "I don't "know where they went. I can't wear his trousers." (Laughter). Counsel: You say you are not m good health now? — No, I'm not. I suffer from nerves. I never got any sleep the whole fourteen days I was at the Valley. - You look as if you had your beauty sleep for the last month? — Do I? I'm not looking for your compliments. .His., worship said that Mrs. Noman had never lived m the country before ancl at the Valley had been alone all day. Ho was satisfied that the position had been brought about hy the woman being asked to live m solitude she was not used to. . He therefore dismissed the application. vThe original order was amended to one without any stipulations as to her plane of residence, and the amount was fixed at 35/- a week.