SUPREME COURT

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1946, Page 2

SUPREME COURT

UNDEFENDED PETITIONS IN DIVORCE A number of undefended divorce petitions are to come before His Honor, Sir Archibald Blair, in the Supreme Court at Greymouth, tomorrow, but in order to suit the convenience of Westport witnesses, three undefended petitions were dealt with yesterday afternoon, as follow: — Sholto Douglas Lamb, now of Christchurch, but formerly of Westport (Mr. M. B. Scully) petitioned for .the dissolution of his marriage to Iris Joan Lamb, on the ground that an agreement to separate had been in force for three years. The petitioner, a clerk at present residing in Christchurch, said he was married in Westport on February 2, 1937. There were no children of the marriage but there was one adopted son. An agreement to separate was entered into on February 2, 1943 when he was serving in the R.N.Z.A.F., and he had not seen the respondent since that time. —Corroborative evidence that the parties had not come together was given by Arthur Wellington Hodgson, company secretary of Westport.—ln reply to a question by His Honor, Mr. Scully said that in the separation agreement custody of the adopted child was given to the mother and it was not proposed to ask for any order in that regard.— The petitioner was granted a decree nisi, which may be moved absolute alter three months, with interim custody of the adopted child to respondent.

Ethel Francess Wallace Gillespie, of Westport (Mr. M. E. Scully) petitioned for the dissolution of her marriage to Charles Robertson Lumbsden Gillespie, on the ground of three years’ separation.—The petitioner in evidence said she was married on September 26, 1938 at Westport. A verbal agreement to separate was entered into on May 12, 1943 and she had not lived with respondent since. There were no children of the mar-' riage and she had not sought maintenance. —Corroborative evidence was given by Mrs. Gloria Muriel Bourke, of Greymouth, sister of the petitioner. —The petitioner was granted a decree nisi, which may be moved absolute in three months. No application was made in regard to costs. Courtney Moyle Smith, of Westport (Mr. M. B. Scully) petitioned for an order for restitution \ of conjugal

rights against Mary Agnes Smith. — In evidence the petitioner said he was at present carpentry instructor at the rehabilitation school in Westport. He was married on October 12, 1936 and after serving three years in the Navy returned to his home in Christchurch in October, 1944. His wife left him but following service of a petition for' restitution, returned in February last year. They went to Westport, and he spent £ 1000 on a home. However, the respondent again became unsettled and left in February last, in-

forming him that she did not intend to return. There were two children, aged seven and five years, both of whom were in petitioner’s custody.— An order was made, the wife to return within .30, days after service of notice.