BIGAMY SEQUEL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 138, 13 June 1941, Page 2

BIGAMY SEQUEL

DIVORCE PETITION

UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES

An explanation that the petition was a sequel to a bigamy charge was made by Mr. A. K. Turner to Mr. Justice Fair in the Supreme Court to-day, when presenting a petition by Horace Basil Wiggins, of Whangarei. for divorce from his wife, Myrtle Irene Wiggins, on the ground of her adultery. Wiggins, counsel said, was prosecuted for bigamy, and when he came before the Court was admitted to probation. One of the conditions was that he should proceed with a divorce petition, hence these proceedings.

Petitioner said he was married to respondent in and there were two children, the boy now being with petitioner's parents and the girl with the wife. They lived in the King Country for a time, but before the birth of the second child they were living up north. The wife went, to Taranaki for the purpose of confinement, and when lie visited her in hospital after the child's birth lie found another man visiting her. She introduced this man to witness, and said she loved him. Subsequently the wife went, to live with the other man, and witness actually went, to where they were and observed tliem living together, lie ruiitinuwl to live at \Vhangarei. and formed an association with another woman, which resulted in his prosecution for bigamy. At the prosecution his wife gave evidence, and said on oath that she had been living with another man.

Mr. Turner produced a copy of the wife's sworn testimony at petitioner's trial for bigamy, in which she made the admission of adultery.

His Honor said the Court required independent corroborative evidence of lite wife's adultery, remarking that there must be many people living in the same disirici as ihe wife who could give such testimony. He stood the ease over pending tlie production of sutlieient corroborative evidence.