A COURT SCENE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3824, 1 June 1891, Page 3

A COURT SCENE.

At the Invercargill Police Court on Monday there were some: very, lively passages-at-arms daringthehearing of the maintenance case of Sparrow v Sparrow. The complainant stated that she was married te the defendant in December, 1889, and lived with him in his father's house in Oreti Plains, Atant seven months later ' he left heryHtonly five shillings in her possesfs&h—no house or furniture—ana told her he was going to get work andiwould write or send for her. He stayed a day and a night with her in her mother's house before leaving, and shn never heard from him since. His father put them off the farm. She gave her husband no cause to desert her. Her child was - borntlH the 13th January, 1891, and she had since been supported by her mother and the Charitable Aid Board. She was unable to support herself and child. In cross-examination by Mr Wade, witness denied having told her husband she wosld run away and earn money, by immoral cpnrses.——i Mr Henderson: Tbatis a monstrous thing to.suggest... . Mr true it is monstrous, and I that it is unfortunately true. ■ Counsel then aske the witness if it was not the case tha she had constantly threatened to g away and lead an immoral life. MfHenderson again objected an' Mr Wade remarked : If you continu to chaperon the woman, like this i will cause remark. Mr Henderson replied that hi client was a respectable marrie woman, and not like her husband, an as for Mr Wade he was one of th - bullies of the Court. Mr Wade: You are excited. Mr Henderson : I am indignant a ;_ your remark, insulting scoundrel tha ': you sre ! 'T^I^H

Mr Wade and His Worship : You must withdraw that remark. Mr Henderson : Not till he withdraws the word "chaperon," His Worship, who had previously tried tomakehimself heard,,expressing his disgust at the scene, said he would adjourn the Court for a iew minutes till the case could be heard quietly. He was astonished at the Charitable Aid Board engaging counsel who went on in this way, and if continued he would not hear the case. , Mr Hendersen : Perhaps you 11 have to, your Worship. ! His Worship said he would adjjourn for fifteen minutes and hoped Mr Henderson would apologise. Mr Henderson said he was prepared to exchange apologies with Mr Wade Why should he talk of his chaperoning a client 1 His Worship: That is nothing. You did not rive me an opportunity of inquiring on what authority he asked such questions. Mr Wade said he would explain that if given an opportunity. Mr Henderson remarked th*t there was no. need to adjourn so far as he was concerned.

Court adjourned. Mr Henderson: " All right; I will have a smoke. Eventually the hearing of the case was proceeded with, the original information being withdrawn, and defendant being charged with failing to support his infant child.—Southland Times.