Maintenance.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 26, 22 May 1914, Page 5

Maintenance.

TWO ERRING HUSBANDS. ONE SENT TO GAOL. “The long arm of the Law” was well demonstrated at the Court this morning, when proceedings wer® taken on a warrant issued eighteen months previously. Michael Joseph O’Keefe was charged with failing to comply with an order of the Court to provide for the maintenance of his eight children, the arrears from the date of the oide-r (April 19th. 1912) to May Ist being £B9, costs totalling £2 7s, having also accrued. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant McNoely said the warrant for defendant’s arrest had been issued on January 24th, 1913. Since then the police had been searching for him. It was not suggested that ho had been hiding, but lie bad left Stratford and gone to the King Conntry. He had, however, gone under his real name. The S.M.: Have you paid anything to the Court? Defendant: No. But I thought I was doing the best thing possible. I was saving up a lump sura to take) my family away from Whangamomona. I would work for them till the blood came from my fingers. The S.M.: It doesn’t appear as if you had worked very hard. The country is not going to keep your children while you earn money and spend it on yourself. Defendant: I never did that. I was always in touch with my family, and they were getting on all right. Sergt." McNoely stated that defendant had £SO in the savings bank at Aria. A sentence of six months’ imprisonment was imposed, with a condition that defendant would be discharged an payment erf £SO off the arrears, £3 off the arrears accrued since May Ist. an additional os per week off the old arrears, and £1 7s of costs in the present proceedings. The S.M. advised defendant to pay to the Court regularly and to let the police know his address. If he humbugged the Court it would be likely that a straight-out sentence of six months’ imprisonment would be ina* posed. ; ■

CAN PAY NOTHING. ; Laurence Terry was charged with disobeying an order of the Court madtf in August 1913 for the payment ol £1 10s per week towards the maintenance of his wife-and four young children, the arrears at date being £34 10s. He had appeared on the previous Court day,' and the Bearing' was adjourned to enable him to produce a statement of earnings since | the order was made. This morning this statement was not forthcoming. The S.M. said it seemed no use to allow defendant time to pay, and his f ofTer to pay 15s per week was not sufficient. Defendant: I cannot pay more. The S.M.: The. only thing I see is to impose a sentence of imprisonment. What can you pay off the arrears P ’ " Defendant: Nothing. A sentence of three months’ imprisonment was imposed, the warrant to he suspended if the total of the arrears is paid forthwith. Defendant: Can’t I have time to pay. The S.M.: No. I gave you time to produce a statement of earnings and you did not do it. Defendant: If I am given time I can produce the statement. The S.M.: I gave you a week to get the statement. You can’t huraibug the Court.