DIVORCE BY LEGISLATION

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 237, 21 June 1926, Page 6

DIVORCE BY LEGISLATION

PRIVATE BILL WANTED AN UNUSUAL PETITION ’ On the ground that when she married him she was unaware that her husband was an habitual criminal, Mildred Elaine Smyth, of Glen Eden, near Auckland, has petitioned Parliament for the second time for a private Bill dissolving her marriage, seeing that the law docs iiot recognise her grievance as a valid reason lor a divorce.

Mrs. Smyth petitioned Parliament last year, but the merits of her request were not considered, inasmuch as her petition failed to comply with several of the Standing Orders. She states that she was married on April 20, 1022, when 18 years of age, to Maurice James Walkington Smyth, whom she met at Rotokohu, near Reefton. He stated Ilfat he was a company manager living temperarily at Manurewa. A month later he was' arrested on a charge of having committed arson at Kaikoura, and in October was tried at Christchurch, com victed, sentenced to five years’ bard labour, and declared an habitual criminal. Petitioner states that she has since ascertained that he was a criminal well known to the police under a num ber of aliases, including J. Walkiugton Smvth, Samuel Vance, Tom Barr, M. Preston, Houghton, Gibbs, Kane, Farquhar. and James. He was convicted in 1911. and 1915 ol false pretences, in 1915. of forgery and uttering, and in 1919 of uttering and obtaining money Dy fraud. On all but two of these charges he was imprisoned. When she married him she was quite unaware of his criminal record, and believed him to be a respectable citizen. He was of very good address and gentlemanly appearance, and represented himself as possessing means. He also said that he held strong religious views, and that he was a member of the Plymouth Brethren. She visited him in gaol, being still unaware of his record, but was constrained to discontinue her visits owing to his conduct. He told her that he' would insist on resuming the marriage relation after his release, and that he would never allow her to obtain a divorce. Mrs. Smyth states that she has no means, and lias only recently been provided by friends with sufficient funds to enable her to petition Parliament.