VALUE OF A WIFE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 119, 13 February 1920, Page 7

VALUE OF A WIFE

IMPORTANT DIVORCE COURT JUDGMENT

A HUSBAND'S RIGHTS TO DAMAGES By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Rec. February 12, 9.40 p.m. l ) London, February 10. Sir Henry M'Cnrdie, in the Divorce Court, lias given an important considered judgment regarding the damages to . which a husband is entitled when his wife is lured away. He laid it down that damages should be based on the following considerations: (1) The actual value of the wife to her husband as a housekeeper or help in his business; (2) proper compensation for injury to the husband's marital honour; (!l) if the wife was of a wanton disposition this lessened her value; (1) damages should not bo givqii against a co-respondent who was not aware that (he woman was married. A wife who poses a« single must be deemed valueless. The Court had no right to punish her misconduct, and damages should not bo punitive. ' A woman could .not. sue another woman for tailing her husband away. The law held that a wife had no such right to her husband's services as a husband possessed regarding liK wile's services.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.