ALLEGED WIFE DESERTION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 83, 4 May 1909, Page 3

ALLEGED WIFE DESERTION

At the S,M. Court yesterday, before llr. H, 8. Fitzherbert, S.M., Eliza L'n(linc Sehwamm charged Harold Scmvamm laborer, with having unlawfully deserted her, and with having failed to provide her with adequate means of support. Mr. CJuiiliaiu appeared for coniplaiiiant, and -Mr. V. H. Weston for defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Complainant, a smartly dressed voung woman, stated that slie was married to defendant on November!), lf)0:t. After the marriage she lived with her husband at Punilio, where he was working in a llaxiuill. .Shortly after the marriage he attempted to leave (lie plaee, to evade his creditors. Subsequently they went to live at Midhirst. Defendant 'was of a .jealous disposition, ami there was some disagreement at Midhirst, as a result of which -lie left her. ,S1„. subsequently joined him at Kiripaka. This was about two years afterwards, and he hail sent her no money in that time. Witness was supported by her mother. They remained at Kiripaka about four months. He had further trouble with his creditors and left the plaee to evade them. The creditors overtook him at Whangarci. Subsequently -Ihey reached Auckland, where defendant pawned witness' wedding-ring and shoes. They went on to Mercer, where lie proposed'lo her that they should walk through the Kfhg Country, liegging food on the road. Witifess borrowed sixpence and telegraphed to her mother, who sent her money to return homo. She went home to her mother, and then went to work for her brother. She then returned to her mother's, where a child, that afterwards died, was horn to her. Ultimately witness invoked the aid of the police to find her niisband, anil he returned to her. They lived at Filzroy, and afterwards at'lfawera. Witness had a married sister, Mrs. Courtenay, at llaivcrn. whom she visited. While rctqrning front her sister's one flyeuing she was' over taken by a man whom she did not know. I A little'later defendant came along anil accused her of improper relations with | this man. lie threatened to beat her. and ordered htr out of the room. She slept that night with her little sister and brother, who were in the house ■with her. The next day defendant, who was drinking heavily', threatened to shoot her. That night she slept with her little brother and sister, but defendant sent them away. The next two nights she slept at her married sister's being afraid of defendant. She did th, liousewoi'k, however, and prepared de femlant's meals, but he did not return for them. Defendant theii disappeared. For two or three weeks witness lived with her sister, and. tlict) so|i( her furniture, supporting herself on the proceeds. She had since supported herse'f, but was not now in a lit state to do so. She laid an information for desertion against defendant, In consequence of which the present proceedings wen , brouglit.

To Mr. Weston: Witness was now 21 years old. Her husband was only a casual laborer. He had never told her his average, earnings. Her father was named Jeffries, and lived at Sentry Hill, and there were five children living with , Him. He milked on shares with Mi. Lewis Connett, He. milked 811 cows. Witness' father, mother, and two broth er.s, and witness when she was at h»ni , did the milking. In the first two years her husband was away from her, witness was in service for three mont'as. at Ss per week. For the remainder of the time she was at home. Her husband's past absence had been for about sixteen months. Of this, she was for seven months working for her halfbrother, Mr. Dobbin, at l'uiiiho, at Ills pel' week. She had been at borne for the remainder of the time. Therefore she had worked for ten months in a period of three years and four months. She had been unwell ever since her baby was bora and had been attended by Dr. t'ookes. The baliv was bora In June. 1(107. It lived for'three hours. Sh« had left Mr. Dobbin because of her illhealth. At this stage the Court adjourned until Wednesday morning.