P. M. B. FISHER

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 122, 25 May 1928, Page 10

P. M. B. FISHER

■ _ .—+ DIVORCED BY WIFE . (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHKISTCHUBCH, This Day. In the Supreme Court to-day, Francis Marion Bates IHslier, a former New | Zealand Cabinet Minister, petitioned for divorce from his wife, Esther Alice Fisher, on'the grounds of mutual flgrcemeu.t.to separate. Mrs. Fisher cross-! potitionori; on the' same grounds, and obtained a decree nisi, to be made absolute after three months,- thehusband to pay the wife's'1 costs on the highest scale. •-•-.; „-..'■'' The costs'of the .'hearing .of lengthy evidence on, commission in. England was left .'to; 'agreement between the , parties. The. husband, did not';proceed...on tho petition, and his'counsel offered no objection, to ; the. grounds of the erosspctitioh.. '';.••'■-. Mr; Donnelly, for the petitioner, said that' Fisher was in Parliament in New Zealand, and. for . some years v.-as a member.of the Cabinet. In 1014 he was. defeated at tho Election, and .to somo extent was peeved at this defeat. He went to England, and offered his services to the authorities during the war period, .when he did Work of considerable value. ." Later, by the good offices of some of the people with w.honi he worked in! the war period, he obtained a position, which lie is holding to-day.- -;"His;position, from tho evidence;, showed-that he was to somj extent a .financial adventurer, though I dont use the term in any offensive sense," said Mr. Donnelly. "In other words, he was.quite willing to go any-where-where, there was a field for his talent." There was a lengthy correspondence between the husband arid the wife as to whether they would live together again. Mrs. Fisher wanted to go to Engjand, and Fisher said that if she did he was disinclined to live with her again. On 24th February, .1920, he wrote stating that he would.give her an allowance of not less than £-100 a year on condition that she did riot live with.him again in England. ' He said that in such a course there was no .shame or .disgrace, but that it was merely a private arrangement, and that it was for the best that they should both go. their own way." ■ . . A, letter was i-ead in .Court showing that Mrs;. Fisher in August, 1920, had accepted the conditions imposed by her husband. ,: . . .