MARRIAGE DISSOLVED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17348, 20 December 1919, Page 10

MARRIAGE DISSOLVED.

«*. WiFE WHO HAD "SEEN LIFE." ADMISSION OF MISCONDUCT. A sitting of the Divorce Court was held yesterday. Mr. Justice Hosking presided. The petition of Samuel Albert Cousins (Mr. Hall Skelton) for dissolution of his marriage to Grace Ethel Cousins (Mr. Osborne Lilly) was based on an allegation of misconduct. Petitioner gave evidence to the effect that until he went into camp in March, 1916, he was on good terms with his wife. He left her in charge of his fruit business, with shop and dwelling combined, and he assigned her 4s 6d a day out of his 5s pay. When he returned to New Zealand from war service in March, 1919, she did not meet him, but he learned that she had lost her home —sold the furniture and even the clothing —and was living at a private hotel. He interviewed her, and she declined to have anything to do with him, stating that she had "seen life"-while he had been away. Later on he learned that she had been " carrying on" with one Cradock Adams, 'and when he taxed her she said he could do as he liked. Mr. Osborne Lilly testified that respondent had admitted to.him her misconduct with Adams, and had instructed him to appear on the question of the custody of one of her three children, the daughter. His Honor granted a decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, and allowed respondent the interim custody of the daughter. The decree in the case of Alfred Henry Griffiths (Mr. McLiver) v. Agnes Griffiths was made absolute, petitioner being given the custody of the four children.