NEITHER WIFE NOR WIDOW.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 132, 5 June 1923, Page 5

NEITHER WIFE NOR WIDOW.

MARRIED, BUT .

! MAINTENANCE ORDER REFUSED. I I ' j i Quite a comedy of matrimony run riot was the story attaching to an application j for maintenance which came before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Police Court this morning. It appears that the defendant married 'a woman whom for the purpose of this story shall be known as Nellie. She, during his absence, sold up the home one line day and did the disappearing trick. Hubby came back to find Nellie flown. Twelve months later, believing her to be dead, he married again, his second bride being a woman who owned to the Christian names of Mary Henrietta. Now all went well, and it looked like "living : happily ever after." till Nellie inconveniently put in an appearance. She made it known that she was very much alive, and hubby, with more than his fair and legal share of wives, was between two fires. In the end ho divorced his Xellie, still being true to Mary Henrietta. So far so good. Then storms began to brew, and he quarrelled with Mary Henrietta. They parted. They loved no more. ! Then Mary Hprnrtf_ti.a found to her cost that she could not live on air. So she sued her "hubby" for maintenance— and got it! At least, a magistrate mad* an order. But hubby was 100 clever for that. He. took his case to the Supreme i Court, where, last year, Judge Ilerdinan 'made a decree nisi of nullity. Nothing J was paid under the order, and thai was I why Mary Henrietta appeared this mornling to hear why "hubby" had not come ]to light with the cash. I Very gently, Mr. J. \V. Poynton I pointed out that the Supreme Court had found she was not legally married, and, ;of course, as for maintenance—quite out of the question. Mary Henrietta looked glum, nodded her auburn-crowned head and departed. j Later in the week there will be more ado in the Court, when proceedings will be taken to have the order cancelled. I Mr. Xewbery watched the "husband's" ■ interests.