DIVORCE PETITION

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 32, 7 February 1935, Page 19

DIVORCE PETITION

£500 DAMAGES. CLAIMED:

His Honour Mr. Justice Reed and a jury were engaged "yesterday in the Supreme Court in hearing an application by Arthur Baden Cottrell, of Lower Hutt, for divorce from his wife, Annie Cottrell. John Darling Smith, of Lower Hutt, was named as corespondent. The plaintiff claimed £500 damages from the-co-respondent. Mr. L. R. A. Cresswell appeared for the petitioner, and Mr. L. K. Wilson for the co-respondent. The respondent was not represented. In opening theicase, Mr. Cresswell said that in this case the co-respondent had filed an application for a separate trial,', and- the application -had been granted. , That case would be heard first. The facts of the case were briefly that the.. petitioner was 34 years of age, and in 1921 he was married in Wellington to his wife, who was a year younger than himself. There was one daughter" of the marriage. After the marriage^ and i until quite recently, they lived the life of a normal .happy married couple. The petitioner was a motor-driver until 1930, when, owing to the slump,, he lost his employment and ,had since been> on relief work. Counsel then ' referred to the evidence which would be called in support of the'petition for divorce, and the claim for damages against the co-respondent., .Evidence would .be given lay the 'petitioner that the corespondent at first denied, but subsequently admitted, misconduct with .the respondent. Evidence was then called in support of the petition. The hearing is proceeding.