SUPREME COURT.

UNDEFENDED DIVORCE CASES. A number of undefended divoree eases were heard by his Honour Mr Justiec Herdman at the Supreme Court this morning. "I LEAVE IT TO TOD." " Impossible for me to appear. I leave it all to you," was the message conveyed in a telegram addressed to his Honour by; Robert Howie, whose wife, Frances Eva Howie (Mr O. T. J. Alpers) applied for a divorce on the grounds of habitual drunkenness and failure to maintain. Thel Judge smilingly remarked that the respon-j sibility the telegram entailed upon him; was considerable. Petitioner stated that there was one child of the maTrlago. Her husband became addicted to drinking heavily about three months after the marriage. He threatened on several occasions to shoot | her with a gun which he kept in the house. James Taylor, father of the petitioner, and Elizabeth Ida Bannton, her sister, gave evidence of the respondent's lenee and drunken habits. For the past two years the petitioner had been maintained by her parents. A dcexee nisi, to be-made absolute in three months, was granted. "I WILL STICK TO HER." Allegations of misconduct were made by "William Bowen (Mr J. A. Cassidy), who petitioned for the dissolution of his marriage with Jeanie McHaffie Brown. Gordon Wilson Moore was cited as corespondent. Petitioner stated that he was married •to tho respondent in 1913, and they resided at Cheviot. His wife left him three years ago, and came to Christehureb. He ascertained that she had had a child some time afterwards.. He saw the corespondent and informed him that he intended to apply for a divorce, whereupon Moore replied, "All right I will stick to her." A decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute in three months, cos-Is being given against the co-Tespondent. EIGHTEEN YEARS SEPARATED. Habitual drunkenness and cruelty were alleged by Jane Glover, of Timaru (Mr 0. T. J. Alpers), who applied for a dissolution of her marriage with George Glover. Petitioner said that her husband, who! was addicted to drink, left her in 1901,. and bad not contributed to her main-! tenance since.- She beard that be had! been working in various parts of thej North Island; Mrs Ella Dewe. sister of the petitioner, deposed that she had witnessed acts of cruelty on the part of respondent. A decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, was granted. HUSBAND'S RESEBTION. Jessie Smith (Mr J. R. Cuningham) sought a divoree from F?;:nk Smith on the grounds of desertion. Petitioner stated that she was married to the respondent in 1900, and after they had lived in England and subsequently in New Zealand the respondent left her, in 1909. She had not received any money from him. The petitioner had had to support herself by keeping boarders. A decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, was granted. A WIFE'S INFATUATION. •Enos Yietor William Crouch (Mr O. T. J. Alpers) applied for tho dissolution of his marriage with Lillian Cecil Crouch, on the grounds of misconduct Edwin O'Brien was cited as corespondent. Petitioner stated that there were three children of the marriage, one of whom had died. He protected to his wife regarding her relations with a man named O'Brien, but she replied that if she could not see O'Brien she would leave petitioner. She eventually left petitioner and he had seen her in O'Brien's company since. They resided in a boarding-house in St. Asaph Street as Mr and Mrs O'Brien. A decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, was granted, "costs on the lower scale being allowed against thft co-respondent. The petitioner was granted the custody of the-children. A WIFE'S REQUEST. George Samuel McCullagh (Mr Alpers) sought for the dissolution of his marriage with • Doris Helen McCullagh. Petitioner said that he was married in 1916 and his wife left him six months later. He had received a letter from her asking him to release her. He had not seen his wife for over two years. A decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, was granted. FAILURE TO MAINTAIN. Dorothy Falconer (Mr S. G. Raymond, K.C.) applied for the dissolution of her marriage with William Faleoner, on the grounds of habitual drunkenness and failure to maintain. Petitioner deposed that the parties lived in Christchurch after the marriage, and later went to Timaru, where they lived for 12 years. There were six children of the marriage. Her husband drank very heavily, and on one occasion was convicted and locked lip for druukeuness in Timaru. In March, 1914, he left her, and had not returned since, neither had he contributed to her support. He had been sentenced to six mouths' imprisonment for failing to obey ihe terms of a maintenance order. A decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute in three months, with costs on the lower scale against the respondent. TYPISTE'B SUSPICIONS. Ivy Leuore Mcintosh Massey (Mr W. J. Hunter) petitioned for the dissolution of her marriage with Charles Edward -Massey, on the grounds of mis-, conduct. ' Petitioner deposed that she was .married in April, 1913, and at Easter-time in 1918 she suspected her husband of misconduct, and left him. Since then she had supported herself as a typiste. i She asked her husband about the umtter, and he admitted misconduct. The manager of the People's Palace deposed that two persons giving the name of Sir and Mrs Massey resided at the Palace from April 5 to 7 last. A decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, was allowed. MOTHER RETURNS FOR ITJILD. Phillip Glover (Mr O. T. J. Alpers), a Geraldine labourer, applied for a divorce from hia wife, Ellen Elizabeth,- on the ground of desertion. Petitioner stated that his wife left him in 1911, and came back about six months afterwards and took with her the only child of the marriage. He was subsequently sued for its maintenance in a home at Upper Hnt-t. A decree nisi, to-be made absolute in three months, was granted, the petitioner to have the custody of the child.