WITHDRAWN FROM COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 245, 16 October 1925, Page 9

WITHDRAWN FROM COURT.

CHRISTCHURCH DIVORCE CASE. \ TO AVOID PUBLICITY. j (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) j CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. ! In the Supreme Court to-day a peti- ' tion for divorce on the grounds of three years' separation was called, the petitioner being Oscar Ernest Duncan, com- ' pany manager, of Christchurch, and the : respondent Emily Edith Duncan. On ! the application 'of Mr. Lasceltes, soli- ' citor for petitioner, the case was allowed ; to stand down pending a conference, i The case was called again a quarter of ! nn hour later, when Mr. Lascelles said: ! "The parties have not coino to any ' settlement. Iα view of publicity " Mr. Thomas (who, with Mr. Cuthbert, appeared for respondent): My friend has no right to say that. He is withdrawing the case. | Mr. Lascelles: I submit that I can i show grounds for withdrawal. His Honor said that it was sufficient to withdraw the case. Mr. Thomas said the case involved a long history of married life, extending over a period of twenty-five years. A tremendous amount of work "had been done in preparing the case, and there were a large number of witnesses. Petitioner was earning £500 a year, and had other assets. He was paying £225 a year for the maintenance of his wife and four children. Counsel asked for costs on the highest scale.

An order for the withdrawal of the case was granted, provided that costs on the highest scale were paid by the petitioner.