THE MARRIAGE TIE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 284, 30 November 1910, Page 5

THE MARRIAGE TIE.

SOHE UIfHAPPT UNIONS. PETITIONS FOE DISSOLUTION. Mr. Justice Edwards was occupied at the Auckland Supreme Court this morning dealing with petitions in divorce. A DOUBLE MISFORTUNE. In support of a petition for nullity of marriage with Peter McCabe, Elizabeth Peace, boardinghouse-keeper, of Auckland, told a story that showed a double misfortune in marriage ventures. At the age of 16 ehe married William Peace on 16th December, 1886, at the Registrar'e Office, at Auckland, but he deserted; her, and entirely disappeared twelve months after. In 1890 petitioner was informed that Peace had met his death by accident at Dunedin, and ehe also read' an account of the accident in the newspapers. Three years after that she went through a form of marriage with Peter McCabe. They lived together for two years, and then he left to live with another woman, whom he had since marTied. After twenty years' a*bsence, William Peace, who had :been reported dead, turned up in the •flesh at Auckland in 1907,.and in 1908 Mrs. Peace obtained a divorce on the grounds of desertion. The petition for nullity of marriage was granted. Mr. J. R. Reed appeared for petitioner. A LECTURER'S CRUELTY. A sad story of cruelty and desertion was told by Jessie Catherine Nelson, in asking for the dissolution of her marriage with Frank Nelson, sometime known ac Oliver Bainbridge, lecturer, cartoonist, and writer. There was no appearance o! respondent. Some years ago Bainbridge .toured New Zealand and various parts of the world, earning ' a livelihood' 'by lecturing and writing. In 1900 he married an Auckland girl, and at the time forgot to give his correct name, and likewise forgot to say that he was penniless. For three yeare petitioner travelled with Bainoridge to various parts, including Honolulu anil America, and she suffered numerous acts of cruelty at his hands. In America he left her without means, to take up. with another woman, and petitioner was supplied with money by her people to return to Auckland. Later on Bairibridge wrote petitioner from Austra-> lia, asking 'her'to go.back to him, which she did, .but was again deserted after three weeks. She had not seen or heard of him since 1905. One child was torn of the marriage. A decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute< in three months.. A WOMAN IN IT. Mary Ann Ellis, represented toy Air. Burton, applied for dissolution of her marriage with John Thomas Ellis on the grounds of desertion. According to petitioner the happy days of married life were interrupted by another woman arriving on the scene in 1904, culminating in a general upheaval, the Husband staying at Warkworth, and the wife coming to Auckland with the three cSiidren. In a finai interview 'between the parties, in the presence of one or two others, respondent expressed a deaire not to see ■his wife or children again, and he had since disappeared altogether. Respondent had maintained herself and children since .1904. * A degree nisij to 'be made absolute in three months, was granted, with costs on the lowest scale. ADDICTED TO DRINK. In aipplying for dissolution of her marriage with Harold Wilson Smith, Julia Wilson Smith complained of habitual drunkenness and cruelty on the part of respondent, who made no appearance. The parties were married at Brisbane in 1890, and three children were bom of the union. . Respondent stated that her husband had given way to drink for the last seven years, 'but during the last four years particularly he had been indulging habitually in intoxicants, using abusive and obscene language, and laying violent hands on petitioner and the children. More .than once he had threatened to take their lives, and the household were afraid tht he would carry his threats into effect. His Honor declined to pronounce any decree until legal requirements imder the new rule infrodu-ced in April last were complied •w-it'h. •Mγ. Richmond appeared for petitioner. HUSBAND'S INFIDELITY. Misconduct was set out as the grounds for divorce instituted by Mary Gibb (Mr. Reed) against Robert Gibb, a cook. Th parties were married at Waihi in August of 1903, and the union proved to be of an unhappy nature. Respondent appeared to be of a roving disposition, and lived with his wife off and on, never for any length of time. During the past four years he had done very little in support.ing his wife and children, and in June of last year occupied rooms at Rotorua for a fortnight with another woman. ' Ah order as applied for was granted, with costs on the lowest scale, the decree absolute to be moved in three months. DOWN IN THE SCALE. Brenda Gordon Kean was represented by Mr. Lundon in asking for a dissolution of her marriage with John Kean, a jockey. The parties were married at Auckland in January of 1888, and lived together till 1901. Though a prominent horseman at one time, Kean gave way to drink, and was unable to maintain his skill and position. Petitioner's forbearance reached > its limit by January 5, of 1901, on which date she told him that unless he found work she would put the police on to him. He thereupon packed up his clothes and left the house, and had since failed to contribute one penny to the support of wife and two children. A decree nisi was granted, with costs on the lowest scale, to be made absolute in three months. TROUBLE IN MIDDLE AGE. William Morris Barton, a middle-aged farmer of Mangapai, sought dissolution of his marriage with Mary Ann Barton on the grounds of desertion and adultery. Mr. Burton appeared for petitioner, and there was no appearance of respondent. The parties were married in 1888, and a family of six was the issue of the union. They lived together till November, 1901, when respondent left her home without giving any reason, and refused to return. In December of 1902 she gave birth to a child at Auckland. A decree nisi was granted on the grounds of desertion, to be made absolute in three months. To-morrow 'at 12 noon iMr. J. Thornes will sell (by auction, at the Land Sale Rooms, 83 Queen-street, seven houses, Eox-street and. Selwyn Terrace, and splendid .building allotment* in Yorkstreet, Parnell, in the estate *of late Mrs. Jk. Wright.'