Sydney Frederick Bird, a well-known cricket professional, told the county magistrates at Bury, Lancs., last month that he had to Make a roaring fire every moi before his wife would get up.
Make a fire every night in the bedroom at six o'clock, Bathe the child.
Do some of the washing.
Scrub floors.
"Even then she was not satisfied," he said.
Bird, who belongs to New South Wales and is professional for Rams-bottom, members of the Lancashire League, was summoned to show cause why a provisional order made in New South Wales should not be confirmed.
Mr, H, T. King, for Bird, said that r, and Mrs. Bird set up home in Bury. After a time Mrs, Bird rejed to Australia. lo wrote to a friend:
should not have left him in the first place, but I was terribly homesick and dreaded each winter. What encouragement did I receive to io get accustomed to the climate? None at all, only financial worry.
"I grabbed the opportunity to return to Australia as soon as it was offered, I am coming to the conclusion he is not worth worrying over. It is my intention to throw myself into some sort of amusement and blow the cobwebs away. I do not want ever to see him again."
"Divorce The Solution"
Bird, in evidence, said his contract with the Ramsbottom Club was for £400 per annum, with £1 1s. talent-r 50 runs or five wickets he continued, g about the weather and the English people, who were very kind indeed to her. She used to tell people that she wanted to get out of this hol I did everything humanly possible for her."
Bird admitted, in reply to the clerk, Mr. J. W. Smith, that he had gambled away his money.
The clerk read from a letter sent by Bird to his in which he "I have no intention of winning you back, Divor e is the only solution. You always id you would never stand in my way. Here, then, is opportunity. Give us start in our young liv An order for Bird to pa: a week for the maintenance of his wife and daughter in Australia was made.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.