BROKEN MARRIAGE TIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17935, 1 December 1921, Page 9

BROKEN MARRIAGE TIES

■■■■^^ ! NEVER LIVED TOGETHER. SEQUEL TO WAR WEDDING. Two undefended divorce actions were heard in the Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. Justice Stringer. Most unusual circumstances were connected with a petition by Winifred Marguerite Henderson (Mr. Prandergast), for dissolution of her marriage with Bert* am Henderson, farmer, Gisborne, on tt? ground of mutual separation for over three years. The petitioner gave <>vi dence that the marriage took placo in Jauuary, 1916, at Palmarston North, where her husband had been in the military camp. They did not cohabit, the respondent leaving immediately for Featheiston camj ana the petitioner going to Giiiborne, They corresponded for a while and she then ceased writing because several of her letters were not answered. She did not know when her husband returned to New Zealand, but she thought it must have been in August, 1917, as W separation allowance ceased then. She met him in Gisborne two months later and they decided they had better continue to live apart. Questioned by His Honor the petitioner said she could give no particular reason for their decision. His Hcnor, in granting a decneo nisi, said the marriage seemed to serve no good purpose to the State or to the parties themselves, so thf sooner it was dissolved the better for everybody. WEDDED AT SKTETH. SEPARATION JX FEW MONTHS. Desertion was alleged by Ada Caroline Winters (Mr. Prendergast), in her suit against Harold Meawa Winters, Te Kopuru. The petitioner said she was married in 1908, whfm she was* 16 years old, and there was one child. In consequence of her husband's ill-treatment e,io" had to leave him after four or five months. They " made it up " again and lived together "for a fortnight when ths respondent disappeared with the child. Subsequently, he brought the child back to where abo was working, sayinir " she could keep it as well as herself. She obtained a. maintenance order for the child and subsequently it was arranged that (lie respondent's mother should take the child. She had not wen her husband nor communicated with him for the last nine years, nor had he paid her any maintenance. A decree nisi was granted.