DIVORCE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 45, 22 February 1934, Page 8

DIVORCE DAY.

FIFTY PETITIONS. TWO JUDGES ENGAGED. WOMAN FAINTS IN BOX. Fifty undefended divorce petitions were granted in just over two hours by Mr. Justice Herdman and Mr. Justice Smith in the Supreme Court this morning. A list of U8 petitions was set down for hearing. When the first case was called in the upstairs Court, over which Mr. Justice Smith presided, a woman petitioner, when in the witness box, collapsed in a faint. She was assisted out of the Court by the Court orderly and two women, but returned later and completed her evidence. She was granted a divorce. HUSBAND SENDS FOR WIFE. Although lie sent a boat ticket and £o to his wife to come out to New from England, Charles Samuel Cook (Mr. Hogben) received a refusal from Minnie Amy Cook, and he petitioned for divorce on the grounds of desertion. Be said lie was married in England on October 5, 1910, and there were no children. He had come to NewZealand at the end of 1920, and it had been arranged that his wife shpuld follow. Twice he liad arranged for her passage but twice, she had refused. A decree nisi was granted. Desertion was the ground on which Doris Sylvia Keith (Mr. Jordan) was granted a divorce from Richard Seddon Keith. She was married on February 2, 1927, said petitioner, and there were two children. In March, 1930, her husband had obtained a job on a ship and lie had said that he would return and provide a home for her. He had not done so and she had not seen him for 12 months. CHANGED HER NAME. Adultery was alleged T>y Walter % incent Burns (Mr. Reed) in his petition against Doreen Annie Burns, George Townsend being named as corespondent. Petitioner stated that in April, 1932, while in Wellington, he received a telegram from his sister which brought him back to Auckland. He found that his wife had left his home, leaving her wedding ring behind. In the following October he found his wife living at a private hotel in Auckland as Mrs. Townsend. Corroborative evidence was given that respondent admitted living with the co-respondent and asked to have her mail readdressed as Mrs. Townsend. A decree nisi was made, to be moved absolute in three months, with costs against co-respondent. Edna Lucy Liddell (Mr. Lennard) substantiated an allegation of adultery against Eric Thomas Liddell by evidence that respondent had been adjudged the father of an illegitimate child. The parties were married in 1929 and separated two years later. A decree nisi was granted. Jane McKerrow Farrow (Mr. Snedden) stated that while she was in hospital in 1931 she was informed that another woman had given birth to a child, of which her husband, Paul William Farrow, was the father. When she accused him of adultery he replied, "These things will happen." A decree nisi was made.

Adultery was alleged by Kathleen Edith Holmes (Mr. Nutsford) against Gertrude William Holmes. Petitioner said she was married on June 20, 1921, and there were no children. Her husband had left her and gone to live with another woman. A decree nisi was granted. SEPARATIONS. Separation agreements, or separation for_ three years, were the grounds on which the following decrees were granted: Edward Knight McKay (Mr. Vialoux) against Edna May McKay; Roland von Der Heyde (Mr. Munro) against Florence Eflie von Der Heyde; Thomas Patton (Mr. Munro) against Martha Ann. idly 'Patton Ivy Gladys Merme (Mr. Milne) against Rene Merme (Mr. Munro)Hubert Reginald Millar (Mr. Tong) against Ivy Violet Alice Millar (Mr. Hart); Vera Cordelia Shepherd >"Henry (Mr. Anderson) against Russfell William James Henry; Frederick George Pratt (Mr. Inder) against Helen Pra,tt; Agnes' Phillips (Mr. Snedden) against Phillip Phillips; William John iHargan (Mr. Townshend) against Phoebe Myrtle Hargan; Cecilia Marion Webb (Mr. Matthews)-against William Webb; Constance Bernice Walker (Mr. Dickson) against Oliver Oswald Walker; Eileen Ada, .Burke (Mr. Coates) against Walter Ellison. Burke; John Wallace Garrett (Mr. Hall Skelton) . against Eupbemia, ; Agnes Garrett; Florence Edith. Abercrombie (Mr. Nqrthcroft) against Alison Owen Abercrombie.

Separation orders were; ■ 'the ■ grounds on -which the following, decrees were granted: Beatrice May Cronin (Mr. Duggan) against' William Patrick Cronin; Eva Ada Scarlett (Mr. .Hubble). against John' Henry; Sca-rlett;. Jvy Crombie McKibbin (Mr, .Matthews) against Robert McKibbin; Iris . Thelnia Perry- (Mr. : L. Adams) against Edgar Walter Perry.

DESERTION.

On the ; -ground of; desertion- decrees nisi were granted the following: Edith Cecilia McKinlay (Mr. Glaister) against William Campbell McKinlay; Leslie Boy Anderson -(Mr. Fraer), against Catherine Burns Anderson; Arthur John Luxon (Mr. Dickson), against Winnie Myrtle Luxon; Eva Ethel • McKeich (Mr. Hubble), against James Henry McKeich; Mary Harriet Nordstrand (Mr. Steadman), against Joseph Mitchell Nordstrand; Elsie Shore (Mr. Hall Skelton), against John Shore; Robina. Allan Clarke (Mr. Nortlicroft), against Charles Freeman darker' ORDERS FOR RESTITUTION. Orders for the restitution of „ conjngal rights were made as follow:— Albert William Walker (Mr. Rogers) against Olive Evelyn Walker (Mr. Johnstone); Conrad Delcasee (Mr. Fraer) against Sophia Louise Delcasse; Isaac Beckett (Mr. Clavis) against Sarah Elizabeth Beckett; Maud Lilian May Wilson (Mr. Stevens) against Cyril Louis Wilson; Florence Mary Frith (Mr. Butler) against Herbert Rand Frith; Percy George Manning (Mr. Milliken) against Cecelia Elizabeth Manning; Geoffrey E. Faulkner (Mr. Haddow) against Mabel Hannah Faulkner; Arthur Cecil Cloutman (Mr.- Dickson) against Eileen Isabel Cloutman; David George Reece (Mr. Hall. Skelton) against Linda Myrtle- Reset. i

UNUSUAL GROUND. Lunacy was the un'jsual ground oil which USTellie Steele (Mr. West) was granted a decree nisi, to be moved absolute in three months, against John Steele. Petitioner said she was married in New Zealand in 1918. and lived with her husband until 1920. Jn 1927 her husband was. committed to the Auckland Mental Hospital, and had been an inmate ever since. Mr. West said he had an affidavit from Dr. H. M. Buchanan, superintendent of the Mental Hospital, in which he said that respondent was not likely to recover; in fact, he had got worse since Ills committal. Mr. Hubble, who represented the ' Attorney-General, said he, too, had seen Dr. Buchanan, and lie (counsel) offered no objection to the granting of the decree. FAILURE TO COMPLY. On the grounds of failing to comply with orders for the restitution of conjugal rights, decrees nisi were granted jw follow: —Harold Samuel Attenborrow (Mr. Turner) against Violet Gertrude Attenborrow: Thomas James Robert Trotter (Mr. Hart) against Catherine Thomson Trotter; Kathleen Mary Winifred Letters (Mr. Bennett) against James Michael Letters; Rita Ross (Mr. Lovegrove) against William Joseph Harry Ross; Ruby Florence Moot-house (Mr. Coates) against Lesli; Moorliouse; Ljubomir Lupis (Mr. E. L. Bartlcet) against Dora Katrine Lupis; Lionel Gladstone Wood (Mr. Hubble) against Laura Ada Wood; Elsie Pretoria Fabian (Mr. Schramm) against Frederick Fabian; Frank Thomas Moore (Mr. Hall Skelton) against Clara Moore.