BISHOP'S WIFE WINS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 155, 30 June 1917, Page 15

BISHOP'S WIFE WINS.

AN ACTIOS I-'iiit I.IHEU Judgment for 1.0i,l William Cecil P.ish-op or Fx.-ter. and his wife. Lady Florence Cecil, with costs, was awarded in the King's Bench Division in tin- libel a'-Mon brought aga 11st '.hem by Mr. Walter Halley, a G.l'.li. scv.nit. Th" action arcs ;t ~f ~ letter written by Lady Florence <.evil, when her husband was Itector of Hatfield, to the mother of a Miss Daisy Gould. Mr. Halley. whose married life Lad not been happy, wished to engage Miss Gould to look after his home and children, following at, agreement with his wife to separate. Lady F'oreuce. In her btter to, Mrs. Gould, stated that Mr. Halley was deceiving be,- daughter, and making lore to her; that he had treated his wife abominably: and! that her daughter would h.i\e nothing but, misery unless she liroke it otT at once. j Tlie judge said that it might seem! strange that Lord William Cecil, who had nothing to do with tlie ietter. should be a defendant in the case. Tint such was the law, and it bad come down to them fnaii the date when, in law. husband and wife j were regarded as one in the pet-son of the husband. "When won, 11 have votes." said his lordship. "1 hope they will assume responsibility for their acts; but until then we tin- I fortunate mortals must sutTcr for their delinquencies." The judge had previously ruled that the letter was written on a privileged occasion. and the only question for the jury, h" said, was whether Lady Florence was actuated by malice. The jury' returned their verdict -without leaving the box.