TREATMENT OF WIFE-BEATERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 155, 22 June 1908, Page 4

TREATMENT OF WIFE-BEATERS.

T.. Hi.'' Kditc.r.

Sir. 1-have ln'i'ii puzzling "'>' ' 'nmght apparatus of l:itc tn lind out why men who crurlh ill-treat their wives sire treated in Mi'-li a lenient When the unfortunate woman dares to take liiT troubles to tlii' Courthouse after I ill- Husband has made a inim-liiii" lull of her .mill, oft-times used his fwt u* wi'll as hi, hand- when drunk, tlii' pi'i" Milium genius at tin- Court assumes a wisi: look, whii'h turns to a severe inn-, anil thi'ii passes sentence on the wifc--mashcr, anil' tlii- si'iiti'iirc genii-rally amounts to a line of live shillings, 01; perhaps nior.', whii.. so annoys Mr. Hubby that somi'tiiui's ho takes his re vcitge nu his |iartiii'r in tin- alleged hul.v I bonds, and presents her with a furthci Isitpplv of bruises. >'ti'. We In-ill- a cm"' dial about tin- sacrodncss of tin' main ■Msr tio. Well, if thi' law cannot pro l.'-i-L womi'ii. anil protect lli.'ni bi-yonil tin- possiblitv of attack from linila usage by sui-'li a species of hinuan animal 1 refer to, well, in my estimation, marriage is about the most unholy alliance that a woman can enter if tne present state,of things is to continue, and it is a very lopsided affair indeed, especially from the vicw|xdnt of the weaker vessel. 11l the single slate she gets her wrongs redressed, as for instance, if a single man se! alinul a ..ingle woman, and gave her a llirasliinj!. he would gel months in gaol willioul tin tioll'of a line, and a seven- lecture from tit:. Iteneli: but. of curse, if he had married her first and promised to protect and love her. he would go! lined,aniU-ould go along at the business iniletiiiitelv until, we will -ay. as an in--tanee. I.y accident lie hit her too hard, and she died. He might get liangi-d then, of course, but even that won!.l only be a remote chance, and he would be 'saved the annoyance of paying a paltry fine. What a contemptible state of"thin".-! The 111:111 that ill-u-es a woman is the worst form of cowardly en •' at heart, and it is 11 pity he is oven allowed at large. Tie ought to lid caged up like the beast lie is until he learns a lesson from ihe animal world. viz., that the male animal, even to a dog. does not iittacK its mute, and surely man can rise willi all bis inlelligenee above the animal. Tn ttermany they gaol a man. and make him work for his family inside the bars if be ealimit behave himself outside, anil his faihily get the proceeds of his labor, but. of course, they have brains (here in this I respect at least. There is sometliing awful', to my thinking, at, the idea of ' a man knocking his partner ahout,. The , women have got the franchise in this country. They could crush the wifewalloper if they would combine, and demand that it should be so. How can they do it! Well, ilesperate di-eases require desperate remedies. \'<> man. if proved to be a habitual wifc-beater, should receive at the very least a sentence of less than twelve 'months. That ; is the very lea-1. and apart from jLJi-it. h- should receive a plentiful .-apply of his own treatment by means of" the "cat.'' us it is called. ' Doesn't matter to me if the whole world disagrees with me as to my ideas in this respect: I will have them. The idea of turning around the other check to be smitten lis out of date. 1 believe iii a fair thing, but this is a eowaidly .game, this wife-beating. Women should be protected at all costs. I don't wish to ca-l any rellections on marriage by my remark-, as no doubt, when two an- ma<ed ii is the ideal life, and the single -tale is only half a life, but the holy and si red business about marriage fa I- with a heavy thud when the law that binds man and wife allows him tieprivilege of treating her shamefully a'-, it practically does at present, only Inhas to pay a few shillings for the privilege of doing so. I will slow down nil-, and tirtish. and my pen is by no ; avails to be allowed to perinaiii'iilly dry jon this .subject.—l am. etc.. AIITtH'U I'IC.UiU. Stratford, .lime 18, 1!M>8.