BROKEN BONDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 122, 26 May 1927, Page 8

BROKEN BONDS.

AUCKLAND DIVORCE CASES.

"A NOTORIOUS SHOPLIFTER." CHILDREN REMOVED FROM MOTHER'S CHARGE. A long list of undefended divorce suits engaged the attention of Sir. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court today. The upper courtroom was crowded, the jury benches presenting an unusual appearance. They were fully occupied by barristerej robed and wigged. A petition for a divorce decree made in 1920, to be declared absolute, was presented •«.- William Good, labourer, of Kerepeehi. The name of the wife was Jessie Cameron Good. Fred Meeske, waterside worker, of Devonport, was cited as co-respondent. Mr. Singer said a divorce was granted by Mr. Justice Stringer in 1920. In December of that year, before Mr. Justice Cooper, a motion for the decree to be made absolute came before the Court, but was adjourned in order that the custody, of the two children of the marriage- could, be settled. They were at present, with an uncle, a Mr. McDonald, at Port Chalmers. They were being well cared for. The application before the Court now was that the decree should be made absolute. "There are excellent reasons why the! mother should not have control of the: two children ■ (now aged Iβ and 17 respectively)," added Mr. Singer. "She is a woman of bad character, and a notorious shoplifter. Also she was living with another man." His Honor reserve? his decision. j .Sold Up the Home. Mary Joseplilne Donaldson was granted a decree nisi against her husband, William Donaldson, of Devonport, on the ground of desertion. There arc no children. Mr. Singer said the marriage took place in 1913, and the parties lived together in Auckland for some years. In 1923 the husband got into difficulties, and sold up the home. Respondent undertook to contribute to his wife' 3 maintenance, but had not done so. She took proceedings against him in the Magistrate's Court, and eventually succeeded in obtaining £12. This was all respondent had paid her since 1923. Didn't Like New Zealand. There were unusual features in the case in which David Chapman petitioned for a decree nisi against his wife Elsie. Desertion was the ground for the action. Answering. Mr. C A. Herman, petitioner said he married his wife, an English girl, in 1915, when he was on war service at Home. There was one child. After the war he brought her to New Zealand, but she continually said she did not like the country, and wanted to go back to England. Early in 1923 they agreed to have separate rooms, and this arrangement continued until 1924, when she went back Home. Petitioner had to cook his own meals and do his own washing even when his wife was living in the same house. The divorce decree was granted. Margaret Ellen Patterson, of Auckland, was granted a decree nisi against her husband, Arthur John Patterson, on the ground of his adultery at West Tamaki with a woman named Violet Stead. Mr. Singer said petitioner was born at Stratford, but the husband was an Irishman, horn at Kiikeel, County Down. The marriage took place in 1914, and the parties lived at Glen Murray, Rangiriri, Waitoa, and later at Auckland. Mrs. Patterson was granted custody of the one child. Husband Who Left Home. Nellie Eleanor Smith (Mr. Richmond), who was granted a decree nisi against her husband, Archibald Edward Smith, On the ground of desertion, told the Court that when she was on holiday from her home at Rotorua In 1922 she learned that respondent had gone away. She returned to Rotorua and wrote to her husband, asking him to come back. He did not do so, and refused to provide her with a home or contribute to her maintenance. It was stated by Eileen Noble, who was granted a divorce from her hus-band,-Victor Thomas Noble, on the ! ground of desertion, that drink was the cause of the unhappiness in the home. A brother of the petitioner said Noble might be truly described as a drunken waster. Mrs. Noble's parents had turned respondent out of their home. John Alexander Sutherland (Mr. Blomfield), petitioning for a decree of restitution against his wife, Marjorie Sutherland (Mr. Dennieton), said when he sent - his wife money to enable her to return to him from Australia, she did not return, but spent the money in other ways. Petitioner added that he had spent £84 in sending his wife and her mother to Sydney for special medical treatment, but she did not go to the hospital, as she had arranged to do. The decree, was granted. Desertion was the ground on which Mabel Zurich (Mr. Jacwbsen) was granted a divorce from her husband, John Zurich. "Drink Erery Night." Continual drunkenness and violent illtreatment of his wife was alleged against John Robinson, whose wife, Ethel May Robinson, was granted a decree nisi, with costs. , Mrs. Robinson told his Honor that she married her husband in 1903. Soon after the marriage he gave wav to drink. J Mr. Matthews <petitk>ner'e counsel): Was he often drunk? Witness; Yes, he was drunk almost every night. Counsel added that Robinson had been an habitual drunkard for the last 15 years. Petitioner said Robinson was very cruel to her. B;e had struck her, pinched her, and on mote than one occasion had pulled her out of bed. Further evidence as to respondent's intemperance and cruelty was given by a married sister of the petitioner. Ernest MftTj (Mr. Finlay) was granted a decree for restitution of conjugal rights against his wife. Answering his Honor, petitioner said he wanted his wife back, despite the fact that she had periodical outbursts of bad temper. He- had no children by lier, but three by a former wife, and there was no proper person to look after the home. Unhappy Australian Marriage. Alice Maud Mage© (Mr. Sfnger), petitioning for a decree nisi against her husband, Percival James Magee, on the ground of said her husband had been persistently guilty of misconduct with two other women. Mr. Singer: As a matter of fact, sir, Mrs. Magee could have petitioned on the ground of adultery, |>ut for the sake of her children she has not done 80. '~ '* ' / Petitioner said she married her husband at Ballarat, Australia, in 1905. He deserted her in 1919, and had refused to return to her or to support fag. He

had been a policeman, but was dismissed from the force for misconduct with another woman. The divorce was granted, and respondent was ordered to pay costs. A Disparity in Ages. Alfred Price, an elderly man. applied for a restitution decree, which was granted. Mr. Matthews said there was a disparity of some 30 years in the ages of the parties, who married in 1924. Petitioner, giving evidence, said his wife became restless and left him on more than one occasion. He had done his best to induce her to return, but without avail. Emma Blackburn (Mr. J. J. Sullivan) was granted a divorce from her husband, John Blackburn, on the ground of desertion. Mr. Sullivan said the parties were married in 1907. In 1910 they went to Australia, returning to New Zealand in 1923, and living at Birkenhead. There were four children. On more than one occasion the husband used violence towards his wife, and she had had to obtain police protection. A co-respondent named Edwin Lee was cited in the case in which William Kerr, carter, of Auckland, was granted a decree nisi on the ground of adultery. Petitioner said on New Year's Eve hie wife went to a dance at Newmarket with co-respondent. Witness spoke to Lee, who admitted that he knew Mrs. Kerr was a married woman with two children. Eventually his wife left him, and lived with Lee at Wellington. The hearing was adjourned for the production of police evidence. Eric Henry Gimblett (Mr. Brewer) was granted a decree nisi against his wife, Dorothy May Gimblett, on the ground of her adultery with a man named John Fernandez Lopez.