CLERGYMAN AND GIRLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18468, 3 August 1923, Page 7

CLERGYMAN AND GIRLS .

A WIFE'S ALLEGATIONS, i , _ ' ' i r FROM '. CHURCH' TO STAGE. ,< ,' ; , '" 'V.'A story concerning the indiscretions of a Church of EngJarid clergyman who went on the stage, was told before Mr.' Justice ' Mann in the Melbourne' Divorce Court last week -by' Mrs. Dorothy Violet Eliza- . beth John. Gatcombe v Love," who was seek' ing a dissolution of, her marriage. . with Francis .Stanley Love, on the ground. of misconduct. . - ,• '":' -' '•,; •Dorothy Love, the petitioner, .stated in , , . an affidavit that she was born at Cardiff, Wales, and that her husband was :' born at Greenwich, England., They were married at .'Brentford,' England, • by,.' ■ registrar, in February, ,1912. At the time Love was a student in- Holy Orders. , There ..were four children sof the marriage. . '. In March, 7912, Mrs. Love mid her husband left Ipriddn i for ' Australia. ' later Love , was ordained 'in Sydney, ' and was . appointed curate' at • Marrickyille, .where '. he'remained for-six months • - At' the end, of that time, Love V was transferred to Batbiirsfc Cathedral, where he stayed for'l4 months before coming to ] Victoria. Aboui this time;: Mrfc. Love '■■£. • saw'a maid ' named Ivy': sitting, on her husband's knee.; The maid was dismissed, but' Love, v/h'i admitted that he; was ■ fond of lbs girl, used to visit her in Mel- , •bourne.', "•■■ ■ , ■ Mrs. Love, according to the affidavit, agreed to forgive her; husband, and they went.to live at Melton, where they stayed ;; ■ for. a : year. y This was in • 1917. -Love fell ,'■' in love with a girl, named. May,"- and -ad - - mitted having had improper, relations with : •' her. "Mrs.? Love threatened ?divorce "pro- V;i * ceedings, and Love . proposed that he ..-;;' should marry, .the girl, and .that the . '■■• children should be 1 divided . between' him ■ • ■ and | Mrs. • Love. p Mrs. Love refused '■'. to '[ , agree to this. - Under threats ,by Mrs. Love, the girl :consentedf.to. "give up her relationship with v Love, who was again forgiven. In . June, 1918, Love went abroad , &a chap- , lain with .the forces, and returned about October, 1919. On his return •;■ they lived ■:■,: ' together »at Geelong.' Ho later 'wrote from; byaney that ne had. misconducted : himself in. -England. . , From Geelorig they • .went to Dean's Marsh, - where Love ne- '■'/ glected his parish duties. _.. ,; .-..,;• Ten months later Mrs. Love came to Melbourne to obtain treatment for, her son. who was deaf. She accepted employment, and Love. wrote asking her. to : obtain a position for; him! ; Later,'-.he .de- / clared : his ; intention of.'• going -' .on , the ' : stage, though his wife begged him' not to . ' ■; do so; He obtained' employment; -as a . ' motor salesman, but; lost- the position in",,: May, 1921. He subsequently obtained : '.. , ah appointment' as minister of the- Church ■ of England at Wood's Point. *? Later he was .transferred to Longwood,' in .the * Wangaratta . diocese,- .as ~ vicar, Early in 1922, Love went to Sydney, and wrote to his wife; saying that he had been unfaithful, and that he was infatuated • with a nice girl who'loved him." In March, 1922. he went' on the stage. He was stin connected with theistage. : There : was"' no appearance of. the respondent. ' Judgment was reserved. ■- ■ ■ ' - '■ - '~„ „ ■•■ \- - - I - i. ,i, i.in ■ —«'»,;-,;-:■-