Order For Nominal Maintenance

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29247, 4 July 1960, Page 17

Order For Nominal Maintenance

Mr Justice Richmond has ruled that a husband must pay his wife, who has divorced him. is a month maintenance. His Honour gave this ruling against Thomas Stoker, an advertising agent, because the order of the nominal payment of Is a calendar month will preserve the legal right of his former wife. Hazel Lilias Ruth Scott, to apply to the Court for increased maintenance should her present financial circumstances alter. Scott (Mr R. S. D. Twyneham). a nursing sister, obtained a decree nisi in divorce against Stoker (Mr G. W. Rountree) on March 29 last. Mr Twyneham applied to the Court for an order for maintenance, explaining that Mrs Scott (who had changed her name from Stoker by deed poll) was paid £l2 15s a week as a nursing sister, enjoyed good health and had £4OO in savings. She sought the order to protect her position should her circumstances alter in the future. Mr Rountree cited a judgment of Mr Justice Northcroft, but Mr Justice Richmond, in making the nominal order, said that the case cited was of very special nature because the wife had deserted her husband with the avowed purpose of achieving personal and economic independence.