AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE

Wairarapa Age, 23 March 1920, Page 3

AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE

WHITE GIRL AND MAORI. DISMISSED. ______ f At the Masterton Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr S. L. P. Free, S.M., Annie Himona, a pretty and well dressed young European girl, applied for a separation order from her husband, a young Maori named Jack Albert Himona. After hearing lengthy evidence, his Worship dismissed the case in an interesting judgment. The case evidently excited much interest among the native population, as there was a very representative gathering the Court. Mr Thos. Jordan appeared for complainant, and Mr W. Noble lor defendant. Mr Jordan said that the parties were married in Masterton hVOctobjer., 1918. When they had been married about a week, defendant struck her. This had gone on repeatedly. About six months ago defendant blackened her eye. On this occasion he was under the influence of liquor, but this was the only occasion on which dant was drunk when he struck her/ On Wednesday, 10th inst., the couple went to the pictures. Dtiring' thd evening his wife looked round--at-the pictures and. defendant got jealous. When they left the hall, defendant thumped her. On a morning following defendant knocked his wife about at "Ringwell" boarding house. Ellis, { the proprietor, saw him hitting his wife, and stopped him. About midnight the same day a knock came to the door, and Ellis found it to be a brother of Himona. The Maori at the door Baid that Mrs Alberot's (as she was called) husband was seriously ill, and wanted her to go to the pah. Mrs Albert heard her brother-in-law say to a mate: "This ain't Defendlnt had threatened to kill his wife, and used awful language to her. Annie Himona, wife of Jack Albert Himona, said she married: Himona at the Registry Office. They went to live at Mangamaire, and after that at the Te Ore Ore pah. About a week after marriage defendant struck her with his open hand. She simply could not look at anyone—not even his ojvn brother. Defendant was very jealous

of her, but he had no grounds. On one occasion at Tai To Tau's defendant blackened her eyes. Witness has now been staying at Ringwell boardinghouse for about eight or nine weeks. On Wednesday week last, 10th March, witness and her husband went to the picture. Just after the interval, witness looked round. Her husband appeared to be very annoyed. After they came out of the Paramount her husband punched her in the chest and said she was making eyes at one of the other boarders from Ringwell's. On the Thursday morning witness saw the boarder referred to, bo as to find out if he had been at the pictures. Her husband saw her talking to the boarder. He had his breakfast, and then beckoned her out. Witness went in to the whare which they occupied near the boardinghouse, : and defendant complained of her being with "that man" again. He struck her several times in the face. She i rushed to get out. He _ struck her [ again, just as Mr Ellis, the proprietor, , arrived. EIU3 put her husband outside. One of the blowß on her chest hurt her very much, and she saw a doctor. On Thursday afternoon her husband came back. She told him she was leaving him, and he begged her to go back to him. She said she would not do so. Late that night, Mr Ellis woke her, and she went to the front door.. Her husband's brother told her that her. husband was very ill, and that Dr. Cowie said Bhe must go and see him. She said she would not go at that hour of the night. On Friday afternoon witness saw her husband at Ringwell boardinghouse, when he was quite well. Her husband had often threatened to kill her. "If I go back to him I daresay it will be the end of "me," remarked witness. Her husband had not given her any money for ten or eleven weeks. Witness first went to Rinwell as a boarder with her husband, but for some weeks she had worked there and got payment. Mr Noble: You have never given your husband cause to be jealous?— No. ■ When you' were living at Mangamaire were you married to defendant? —According to the Maori custom I 'was. We lived according to the Maori custom for two or three months. Isn't it' a fact that a boarder named | Harding is often in the kitchen alone with you at RingwellP—-1 can't help him coming into the kitchen. Did not your husband remonstrate with you about Harding?—lt was through him I got the cracks. ' Why did you not go ty see him when they told you he was ill? —He had half killed me that morning.. Has not your husband got a returned soldier's farm, and wants you to go and help him on the farm?—No; I am not going to work myself to death. He has struck me nearly every day of our married life. If I only look at anyone he said I was "carrying on." If I work for Mrs Ellis I get paid for what I do. James Ellis, proprietor of Ringwell Boardinghouse, said that his* wife paid Mrß Himona for work done in the kitchen. On the Thursday morning after the incident at the pictures, witness's child told him' Mrs Himona

' was crying. Witness heard a "rustling" in tho room occupied by the | Himonas. Ho heard Mrs Himona say, I "You leave me alone." Ho looked into thet room and saw Mrs Himona in a kneeling position on the bed, as if she had fallen. Witness said to Himona, "That's no good; you are no man to knock a woman about." Himona said: "I'll do what I like." After further argument witness told Himona to go. The boarder Harding only came in for meals, and there had been no carrying on between him and Mrs Himona. Witness detailed the" incident of Brown (Himonas brother) coming at midnight to induce Mrs Himona to go to the pah. When witness left to get Mrs Himona, Brown remarked to a friend, "I think it's all up, Bob." After the Himonas had boarded at Ringwell for a while, the husband suggested that the wife should work out her board. Witness had seen a big bruise on Mrs Himona'a arm. He saw Himona strike his wife, and she fell on the bed. Jack Albert Himona stated, in his evidence, that the only time he tised force to his wife was on the morning after tho incident at the pictures, when Ellis interfered. He had always been kinds to his wife. Before she was married she had nothing, and he bought her boots, clothes, hats, etc. He treated his wife well, and expected her to do as he said. Mr Noble: "You have a farm now, and want your wife to go with you ?'' Witness: "Yes." Mr Jordan: "Is that all you want your wife for?" Witness: "No. I want her, because - I love her." Mr Jordan: "Now tell us about tho pictures incident." Witness: "Harding was there, and when my wife looked round he smiled at her." C. T. Elers, Native agent, considered that the Himonas were a finely matched pair. Joe Brown, a native, residing at Te Ore Ore, stated that Albert and his wife used to live at Te Ore Ore near his home. He did not see Albert ever knock his wife about. Albert was very ill at his house one night, andwitness sent for his wife. Dr. Cowie was called, and he said that Albert was suffering from brain trouble. In delivering his judgment, his "Worship stated that the case came very near the border line, but the! evidence did not quite justify him in inaking an order. The complainant married, a Maori, and for that reason Bhe could not expect the same treatment as if she had married a person of her own race. He could not hold that the allegations of the complainant were proved. It was very strange of a man to say that he loved his wife after the treatment alleged. He did not feel bound upon the evidence submitted to make an order. The case j would, therefore, be dismissed.