IN DIVORCE

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24226, 6 April 1944, Page 3

IN DIVORCE

UNDEFENDED PETITIONS «£» ve u ral divorce petitions rt b £ M 1 Justice Northcroft to terdav Christchurch yesStanley Arthur Dumpleton, a baker siatea that on his return from overseas, he had iound his wife, Yvonne Patricia Dumpleton, living with Stanley Leslie Jamieson Matthews, a piano tuner, at Tauranga. Adultery was the ground for his petition, in support of which Mr C. V. Lester appeared. Matthews was joined as co-respondent. A decree nisi, to be reA n^. ble ln tnree months, was returned. A decree nisi on the ground of separation was pronounced in favour of Terence Edmund Davidson (Mr J. H. Poison) in his suit against Laura Bertha Davidson, lhe parties were married in 1928, and there were four children of the union. They separated in 1941, and had not lived together since. The custody of the three younger children was awarded to the petitioner. Mr K. J. McMenamin appeared in support of the petition of Phyllis Edith McDougall, who was granted a decree nisi °n the ground of desertion against John McDougall, of Blenheim, airman. The parties were married in 1931, and there were two children of the union. The petitioner obtained a separation order in 1940 in Auckland, and they had not lived together since.

James Wealleans asked for the dissolution of his marriage with Kathleen’ Daisy Wealleans, to whom he was married in 1929, on the ground of the responent’s insanity. A decree nisi was ordered, and the petitioner given the custody of the child. Mr McMenamin appeared for the petitioner.

Desertion was the ground advanced for the dissolution of the marriage of Jack Hurd, a member of the Royal New Zealand Air Force and Mavis Lilian Hurd. Evidence was given by Jane Gladys Hurd, the mother of the petitioner, that the parties were married in 1937. On Christmas Day, 1940, she said, her son had come to her home with his children, one aged three years, and the other 15 months old, stating that his wife had left the home. The respondent had departed for Wellington, and they had not lived together since.

His Honour informed Mr H. H. Hanna (who appeared in support of the petition), that he would require additional corroboration. 'T must have evidence from either the wife or the husband,” he said, “as to what happened. A bald statement from the husband is not enough.” The petition was stood over. Christine Garty (Mr W. F. Tracy) petitioned for the dissolution of her marriage with Charles Leslie Garty on the ground of desertion. Petitioner stated that she was married in 1928, and that there were three children of the union. In 1940 she had been forced to leave him because of ill-treatment, and they had not lived together since. A decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, was pronounced, and petitioner was given the interim custody of the children. Rita Maria Roberts (Mr W. F. Tracy) petitioned for the restoration of conjugal rights with Leslie David Roberts, butcher. The parties were married in 1936, and had two children. In 1943 the respondent left petitioner, and though he had since maintained her, he had declined to make a home. He was ordered to return to his wife within 14 days. His Honour pronounced decrees absolute in the following petitions:—George Duncan Clark (Mr W. F. Tracy) v. Bertha Louisa Clark (Mr A. T. Donnelly); Doris Mary Magdalene Nelson (commonly known as de Velezco) (Mr N. S. Bowie) v. Espersen Ernest Nelson (de Velezco): Henry Arnold Thomas (Mr Tracy) v, Ida Thomas; Olga Poulton (Mr Tracy) v. Cyril Sydney John Poulton.