WEALTH AND DISCORD.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3597, 1 April 1924, Page 8

WEALTH AND DISCORD.

THE HORDERN DIVORCE. SYDNEY, March 13. The pending divorce action between Mr Lebbeus Hordern, youngest brother of Sir Samuel Hordern, and his wife is already exciting Sydney society though it may be several months before the "cause eelebre” is listed for hearing in court.

Both Mr and Mrs Lebbeus Hordern are young, well-known and handsome; the bride herself was wealthy, and the bridegroom is tremendously rich. Dramatic developments of a romance framed in the most luxurious setting are promised at the divorce action proceedings. The service last week of a petition for divorce upon Mrs Hordern from her husband was a climax to a long history of marital differences, which had already been in legal dispute. Mr and Mrs Hordern, were married in Sydney in October, 1912, and their son was born in April, 1914. But, in June 1919, after initial steps k: legal conflict, a deed' of separation was drawn up between husband and wife. By this deed Mr Hordern agreed to allow his wife £BOOO a year clear of State or Federal income tax. This is the largest allowance to a wife ever known in Australia. Its tax-free character makes it higher than the £9OOO a year granted to Lady Dudley, who sued Lord Dudley afterwards on the question of liability to taxation.

Mr Hordern, a grandson of the founder of the great business of An. thony Hordern and Sons, Ltd., has an income estimated at £IOO,OOO a year. He has been a princely patron of art, and from one visit to Europe is reputed to have returned with about £30,000 wortth of pictures and statuary. He is, moreover, a studious man. He reads economies, and can quote from many authorities on tho relation between capital and labour. But he was never inclined to enter actively into big business. He is now whouy dissociated from business in connection with the giant firm. Keenly interested at that time in aviation, when the war began he presented a seaplane to the navy, and it went away in H.M.A.S. t Australia. In 1921 he lent a seaplane for a survey of the eastern coast. He himself had bought but never used it. Finally Mr Hordern tired altogether of his hobby. His planes are nowpacked away in parts. Of late years IMr Hordern has been rather a recluse.

Mrs Hordern was, before her marriage, Miss Olga Monie, one of the society beauties of the day. Her father who was a railway contractor, was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne, becoming iru his later years there captain of the school. When he died, after a successful career, his estate was proved at over £BO,OOO. Miss Olga Monie spent the formative years of her life at the Loretto Convent, Sydney. She had not long been out in the social world when, at the age of 20, in 1912, she was married to Mr Horderm at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral. During the brief period which separated her school days from her married life she was one of the handsomest and most popular girls in Sydney society. After the estrangement from her husband, she left Sydney in August, 1919, taking

her boy with her. She visited Egypt, England, and then travelled extensively in Europe and America. She came back to Sydney in June, 1922, by herself. She had left her son at school in Paris. She was here for several months but went abroad again. She stayed away until her arrival on the R..M.S, Maloja last week.