MARRIED AT EIGHTEEN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 61, 14 March 1913, Page 7

MARRIED AT EIGHTEEN.

REPENTING AT NINETEEN

“DASHED WELL SICK OF HIM.”

A young wife of nineteen years appeared before Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., at tlje Auckland Court on Saturday, to ask for separation from her hueband, with maintenance for herself and child. The evidence showed complainant had met Daniel Wilson at a dance in the country. She was married at eighteen years—after her child was born. She stated that since her marriage her husband had given her £l7.

The mother of the girl stated that her daughter was married on the 16th of June last. She did not* think the defendant wanted to keep his wife find child. Mr Wilson had told his wife she must leave her mother before he would keep her. Mr Wilson came to her place and snatched the child. Witness tried to get the baby, and defendant hit her on the temple. Mr Wilson : I deny that, your Worship.

Mr Kettle said he saw no evidence of persistent cruelty, especially as it appeared the wife went out with her husband when he came to town.

Daniel Wilson, in answer to Mr Kettle, said, “She asked me to marry her.”

Mr Kettle: Oh, yes, it was leap year.

Mr Wilson: But I wanted to marry her your Worship, only I wished her to wait a little till I was more financial.

Continuing his statement, defendant said he was out of work and unfinancial when he married. He tokl the mother he had no money, but she said she would provide it if he f would marry her daughter. His wife’s mother paid the rent of the room for two weeks. Afterwards they went to live at Ids mother-in-law’s hoarding-house. He paid for the room and found the food. When he came home everything was satisfactory, but ho did not like being under his mother-in-law’s roof. Love was strong enough for marriage, hut the mother-in-law got a grip because he was not financial at heel:. He objected to sit as a hoarder at his mother-in-law’s table, and see Ids wife acting as waitress. He offered to provide a home if his wife would leave her mother, hut she refused to- go with him to look at the places. She sard, “Dan, you had better go your way

and I’ll go mine.” The mother-in-law said to him, “She cared for you once, but she does not care for you now.” A little later his mother-in-law ordered him out of the house. His wife refused to leave with him, and said: “You go your way; we will not trouble you.” So long as they were near his wife’s mother they would never get on well. His wife signed an agreement for separation if he would pay 7s Gd per week. As she had signed it, he did the same, and had paid the money regularly. Her mother had been away from her own husband the last seven years. He never for a moment suspected his wife of any misconduct.

Mr Kettle said he was not, prepared to make an order for separation, as there was not sufficient to justify it. The defendant was, of course, liable to support his wife as well as the child. Apparently the girl wanted him to marry her. He did so, and she should cling to him as long as she was properly treated. If she wanted to stay' with her mother, and got her husband to support her, that was no cause for separation. The mother here said: I want Mr Wilson to take my daughter to a home of her own. I have no wish to keep them apart. Mr Kettle said he would adjourn the case for three weeks, and expressed the hope that the husband would make a home for his wife and child.

Mr Wilson said he was prepared to do so in Australia, whereupon Mrs Wilson left the Court precipitately (says the Star), remarking, “I am dashed well sick of him.”