A STRANGE STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1922, Page 13

A STRANGE STORY.

TOLD IX DIVORCE COURT. In the Divorce Court in Wellington on Wednesday, before Mr. Justice Hosking, William George Staples (Mr.-P. W. Jackson) sued for dissolution of his marriage with Muriel Staples on the I ground that the parties hart been separated by mutual consent for over three years. Counsel said it was a strange case. The parties were married at the Registry' Office. Wellington, on December U, 1918, had immediately parted, and had never since lived together. Petitioner stated that he had been engaged to the girl for two years, but was not in _ position to make a honv. threats of breach of promise proceedings, or of shooting by the girl's father, made to him by the mother in the office of the insurance company where he worked (at a salary of £150 a year), induced him to marry his wife immediately, she returning at once to Auckland, they having agreed to separate for six months. .After two months his wife visited him when ho was ill. His Honor said that this did not look as though there had been any agreement to keep apart for six months*. Petitioner did not seem to have tried to make a home for her, or to have offered her one. Instead, he seemed to have, practically deserted lier. The father had evidently thought it was time petitioner married his daughter. Ih- could dud no proof of an agreement to separate, and there was no reason why he should grant a divorce because both parties had agreed that a deems should he made, lie would refi'r the matter to other Judges, and adjourned the hearing for that purpose.