UNHAPPY UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 12

UNHAPPY UNION.

BOXER AND TED MORGAN SEEKS DIVORCE. WEIX-KNOWN JOCKEY CITED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The unhappy marriage of two New Zealand representative athletes was the subject of divorce proceedings in the Supreme Court yesterday and to-day before Mr. Justice P>eetl. Petitioner was Ted Morgan, winner of a. boxing title at (he Olympic Games at Amsterdam in 102.5, and respondent was Norma Morgan, formerly Miss Norma Wilson, champion sprinter, who also went to the Games with the New Zealand team. Petitioner claimed £.">OO as damages from Kangi Marsh, prominent New Zealand jockey, who was cited as corespondent. Both respondent and eo respondent denied the allegation of adultery, and alleged moreover that the petition was collusive and was presented by agreement between, petitioner, respondent and co-respondent on or about March 2. They alleged that petitioner, by blows and threats, compelled them to sign an admission that they had committed adultery though they had repeatedly assured petitioner that no such adultery had been committed.

Petitioner, a plumber, said in evi lence that his wife wi.nt away on a three weeks' holiday, but did not return at the end of that time. Tour weeks passed and she had still not returned. He communicated with her by telephone. She said she wanted to go to another raco meeting. He told her if she did not come homo he would come up and would want to know why. His wife then said she would come. When she arrived he met her at the station. She did not return his kiss but stepped back and asked if he -would divorce her. She said her suitcases were empty and she had come to collect her clothes. . Next day, in reply to his questions, she said there was another man and that misconduct had occurred between them.' Subsequently sho told him the other man was Marsh.

Question of Damages. Petitioner said that at his request a solicitor prepared a document for signature, acknowledging that misconduct had taken place. He and respondent then took train to Hastings, and found Marsh waiting for them on tho station. Petitioner gave Marsh the paper to sign, but before signing it Marsh wanted an assurance that Morgan would not claim damages. He gave this undertaking.

Some weeks after his- return from Hastings his wife issued maintenance proceedings against him, and as a result ho had taken out tho petition for divorce. He and his wife had become engaged after they met on their trip to the Olympic Games. Some time after that the engagement was broken off, and he got his ring back. Mr. Boilings (for respondent): From that time until you got married I think you scarcely saw your wife? You met only a few weeks before you were married in a registry office? 'Petitioner: That is true. Was your married life from tho commencement a happy one? —We were happy in lots of ways. Were there any ways in which you were unhappy?— When my wife lost her temper we were unhappy. Were you ever unhappy when "the husband lost his temper?— The husband never lost his temper. Never? He had good occasion to sometimes. ~ His Honor: A boxing man is not much good unless he can control his temper. Wife Threw a Brush. Petitioner said on one occasion'his wife threw a brush at him, and his head was cut open. Mr. Boilings: Without any causeT - Petitioner said he was in the bedroom singing a song.

Mr. Rollings: That explains everything. (Laughter.) Petitioner said he admitted he did not have a very good voice. Eeginald C. Carr, of Wellington, an acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, said he met Mrs. Morgan one day early in March, and gave her a lift through the city. She told him then that she was on her way to see her husband to arrange a separation, that their marriage had been a mistake from the start, and that it had been her fault. She suggested that witness should make arrangements to go out with her husband sometimes, as he would be "very cut up" over the separation. Frank Allen, of Gisborne, said that on a race night in February, when he went to a dance in Gisborne, he saw Mrs. Morgan there dancing several times with Marsh. She said to witness, "I hope Ted doesn't find out I'm here." Morgan was at that time in Gisborne. Mrs. Emily K. Miller, George Fraser and Constable A. T. Cleverley gave evidence that before Mrs. Morgan went away on a holiday she and her husband seemed happy. Constable Cleverley said Morgan was a clean-living, quiet young man. He had not heajd of his being cruel to his wife. Wife Denies Allegations. Giving evidence to-day, the respondent said they became engaged on their return from the 1928 Olympic Games, but she broke the engagement after two years. Last year she met him in Wellington, and three weeks later they were married. They spent two months in Brisbane, during which time he did no work, earned no money and really lived on her money. Generally speaking, throughout the whole of her married life she had been imhappy.

Respondent denied going to a dance at Gisborne with Marsh, and said the suggestion of misconduct with him was untrue. When she arrived in Wellington from Gisborne she told Morgan she was going to leave Lim, because of Ms cruelty, and ehe had been advised to get policemen to protect her. Morgan said there was no reason for that, and if she came and got her things he would not touch her. He said if she drew the money out of the bank she could get a divorce. His Honor: You wanted a divorce? Respondent: Wo both wanted it. The Court adjourned till Monday.