UNDEFENDED DIVORCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 143, 19 June 1922, Page 8

UNDEFENDED DIVORCES.

TWENTY CASES HEARD. j CLEARING OFF THE CALENDAR. I There was a regular "washing-up" at the Supreme Court this morning of the undefended divorce actions on the calendar, and in two and a-half hours Mr. Justice Stringer dealt with no less than twenty applications for dissolution of unsuccessful ventures in matrimony. Thej record number of cases dealt with in. Auckland in a day'B sitting is 47, Mr. Justice Herdman on that occasion pre-1 siding. One case this morning was put through in the record time of two and a-half minutes. LIVED WITH MOTHER-IN-LAW. James Campbell (Mr. Allan Moody), a labourer, in his petition showed that his marriage with Cecilia Mary Campbell was only about a year old when he sus- - pectcd her infidelity. The parties were married in 1021 and lived at the wife's; mother's. There was trouble at the mother-in-law's and pctitionsr took a room elsewhere for himself. He believed that his wife was with her Bother, bat learned afterwards that she had gone to Palmerston. Subsequently respondent admitted that she had been livinsr with Clarence Miller, otherwise known as Clarence Lorigan, who was named as co- ( respondent in the petition. She was leaving for Sydney with the latter on one occasion, but he was stopped on the wharf. There was no reason at all why his wife should have left >im. A decree nisi was granted,, to be made absolute in three months. There was one child, which the wife had taken to Sydney, and the matter of custody was left in abeyance. THE FINAL SCENE. Joseph Kelly (Mr. McLivcr) petitioned on the ground of failure to comply with | an order for restitution of conjugal j rights. He married Alice Kelly in ll>l4. , A decree nisi was granted, to be moved j absolute in ttirce months.

Earnest Vincent Fowler (Mr. Tolhurst), a tramway employee, also petitioned for failure to observe an order for restitution of conjugal rights. He was married in July, 1914, to Hilda Laura Fowler, the order being made last year. There were two children, and in making a decree nisi, to be moved absolute, his Honor granted each party custody of one. NOT THE ONLY PEBBLE. Edith Eliva Wright (Mr. Prendcrgast) admitted that though in her teens she married Ernest Percy Wright in July, 1917, at Thames. Right from the date of the marriage, she said, her husband was cruel to her. In September, 191 S. he left her, and in the course of a veledictory letter, told his wife that she was not the only pebble on the beach. A decree nisi was granted on the ground of desertion. WISHED HIM GOOD LUCK. Desertion was the ground on which Edward Charles Brown (Mr. Vallancc) petitioned for dissolution from Eileen Mary Brown. Petitioner said that he left for the war on Christmas Day, lulli, and while doing his bit for his wife and country, received a missive from his wife stating clearly that she wished the marriage to be dissolved. She wished him good luck, and hoped he would find someone more suitable to his nature »nd disposition. On his return from the war petitioner visited his wife in Melbourne, when she again refused to return to him. There were two children of the marriage. A decree nisi was granted, to be moved absolute. MISCONDUCT BY WIFE. Misconduct was the ground on which Leonard Sergeant (Mr. Dickson) sought a dissolution from Florence Louise sergeant. The parties were married in 1914. At present petitioner's wife was living with one Herbert Durnie, with whom respondent had admitted misconduct. Petitioner had forgiven his wife, once, but she had again returned to her inamorata. A decree nisi was granted. WANTED HER FREEDOM. Walter Little (Mr. V. West), chemist, of Helensville, married, in 1905, Frances Cecilia Little. Just a decade later his wife went to Perth, Australia, and from there wrote stating that she was not coming back as her love had waned. Petitioner made many efforts to renew their association, but all were fruitless. ! A decree nisi was granted, to be moved j absolute. { TOLD HER TO LEAVE. j Annie Sophia Robertson (Mr. Gou'lding) and Robert Robertson were married in 1912. There were two children of j the union. When living in Auckland in 1915 she returned to her mother, at respondent's suggestion. She had | fecured a separation and maintenance ! order three years ago, but respondent had never supported her since. A decree was granted, to be made absolute. HUSBAND AT ROTO-ROA. An appearance had been entered in the action brought by Kate O'Malley (Mr. Osburc Lilly) against Charles Matthew O'Malley. but counsel explained that this would only concern the custody of the children. Petitioner stated thai she was married in 1912 and early after her husband developed constant drinking habits. When drunk he was wont to punch petitioner about the face. Petitioner related an unhappy sequence of vicissitudes which culminated in her husband being committed to Rotor-roa, For the last four years she had had to support her-j self. A decree nisi was granted, to be moved absolute. ■ A WHANGAREI STORY. Henry Gibson Hoey (Mr. OsburneLilly), orchardist, of Whangarei, married Elizabeth Hoey at Whangarei in 1919. After living together for a little! time petitioner set his wife un as pro-; prietor of a boarding-house at her request. She never returned to him and became dissolute in her habits, for which she was sentenced to a term of imprisonment. In the course of examination in a' maintenance action brought by respondent at the Magistrate's Court, Auckland, last year, -she had admitted adultery. A decree to be made absolute was granted. A BUTTERFLY. "~™~"" Victor George Nugent (Mr. Tuck), stevedore, of Auckland, married Phoebe Nugent in 1908. Petitioner's wife often hinted at leaving him as "her life was too quiet and she wanted someone of a livelier nature." On returning from business one day in 1917 he found that his wife had sought the gayer atmosphere and had taken all her effects with her. The decree was granted. FOURTEEN YEARS' SEPARATION. Jessie Ellen Richardson (Mr. Johnstone) was married in 1897 to Henry Edward Richardson. There was one child of the union. Shortly after the marriage, stated the petitioner, her husband became seriously addicted to drink and she was forced to earn her own livelihood and keep the child. He.- husband had not contributed anything for four-l

teen years, during which they had been separated. A decree nisi, to be made absolute, was granted. HUSBAND GIVEN TO DRINK. Christina Violet Blake (Mr. Johnstone) was married to George Blake in 1911. One child was born in the same year, but owing to her husband's penchant for drink the marriage was a very unhappy one. Eventually she was forced to go and live with her mother. A decree nisi on the ground of desertion was granted, petitioner being given interim custody of the child. MUTUALLY SEPARATED. The petition of Percy Walter Douglas (Mr. Lusk) showed that he married Florence Amelia in 1907. In 1918 the latter left him, and next year they mutually agreed to separate. A decree nisi to be made absolute was granted. AN UNFAITHFUL WIFE. Albert Edward Jackson and Lily May Jackson solemnised their marriage in 1908. Three children were born. In February, 1921, his wife, who had previously left him, ran away again, and had since been living with the co-respondent, George Perry. A decree nisi was granted, with costs against co-respondent. EARLY IN TROUBLE. Henry Wiggins (Mr. Hogben) and Emily Louisa Wiggins were married at Feilding in 1916. They lived together there for about two years and a-half, during which one child was born. Soon after the marriage they ceased cohabitation, and in June, 1910, respondent left him. Petitioner subsequently heard that she had departed with another man, and he produced irrefutable proof of her infidelity. A decree nisi to be made absolute was granted. RESTITUTION OF RIGHTS. Marjoric Clare Knight (Mr. Dickson) was married last year to James Robert Knight at St. Michael's, Sydney. Respondent had been served with an order for restitution of conjugal rights, and had not appeared at either proceedings. A decree nisi was granted to be made absolute. Ada Freshwater (Mr. Inder) married Alexander Freshwater in England, and | came to New Zealand about seven years ago. They had a return trip Home, and in January this year arrived back in the Dominion. In March her husband left her, and has since refused to come back. There was another woman in the case, she said. An order for restitution of conjugal rights wan made. Augustus Slade (Mr. Inder), grocer, of Auckland, related that after three | years' service at the front he found his I wife, Margaret Isabella, had gone to [ Dunedin. She came back and lived with ■ him for a month, but then went to ! Sydney, and stayed twice as long as she ' had said she would. She returned to Sydney in February, 1920, and now refused to return. An order for restitution of conjugal rights was granted. Mr. Singer, for respondent, sought custody of one of two children, and was granted interim custody. APRES LA GUERRE. The petition of Fred. Charles Macal dam ""(Mr. Singer) against Doris Macadam mostly concerned their unhappincss after petitioner returned from the war. He took a boardinghouse, but his wife became flighty, and ran him into much expense. Towards the end of ; 1918 petitioner obtained a position in j Te Aroha, but his wife refused to accompany him there. Prior to that he had his i suspicions about her fidelity, and these were confirmed when his wife ran away, at least sailed away, to Sydney. He had not seen her since. The decree was granted.