MARRIAGES FAIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22431, 29 May 1936, Page 15

MARRIAGES FAIL

DIVORCE PETITIONS

MANY DECREES GRANTED NO DEFENCE OFFERED CASES OF SEPARATION In the course of a long day yesterday Mr. Justice Callan heard 47 undefended divorce petitions in the Supreme Court, and in every case the petition was granted. The most common ground for the granting of a decree nisi was the separation of the parties for longer than three years. Many cases of desertion also came before the Court.

" Within a few days of the marriage my husband and 1 decided that we wero wholly unsuited and agreed to part." said May Woods (Mr. Bainliridge) seeking divorce from Cyril James Woods. She said they married in December, 1931, and took a flat at Takapuna. They resided together for seven or eight days after they had agreed to part. The agreement was mutual. His Honor: After 10 days of married life you came to that decision? Petitioner: Before that, sir. Had you known him long when you married him? —A few years. Mr. Bainbridge said the respondent was an officer on an overseas ship. Petitioner said she had never seen respondent since they parted on December 26, 1931. She came to New Zealand from England 10 years ago. His Honor issued a decree nisi. " Never Maintained Family " Supporting a petition against her husband. Harold Robert Hayson, based on wilful desertion, Laura Hayson (Mr. Matthews) said throughout her married life, which began in March, 1913, her husband had never properly maintained her and the family of four children. Drink was the trouble, and they had been turned out of house after house for non-payment of rent. For the last six or seven years she had maintained herself and the children. A decree nisi was granted. Evidence of a surprise visit paid to her home in Waihi after an absence was given by Marjorie Edith Morgan (Mr. Jordan), who obtained a decree nisi against Victor Tresize Morgan on the ground of his adultery. Petitioner said that on returning home, one afternoon accompanied by her sister and brother-in-law she found the doors locked. When she knocked a. married woman whom she knew ran out and hid in the ■washhouse. Her husband said he was to blame. His Honor granted a decree nisi. Wifa's Address Not Known A breach with his wife on his return from England in 1931 was described by James Lawrie Winstone (Mr. Mcl-iver) who sought divorce from Alice Mabel Winstone to whom he was married in 1929. Petitioner said that, on his return home he found that his wife had sold their apartment house. She handed him his clothes and belongings and refused to disclose her future address. He had ascertained that she had left New Zealand. but repeated attempts to communicate with her bad failed. He believed she was now in China. A decree nisi was granted. A marriage dating back to June, 1898. was deposed to bv Ethel Louisa Don kin (Mr. Nutsford). who was Granted a. decree nid against Ralph Donkin. She said she had been deserted by respondent in 1915 and he had never returned. There wore eight children, now all grown up. Before he finally deserted her he had left the family practically starving on numerous occasions Agreements to Separate

Written or verbal agreements to separate were the grounds 011 which decrees nisi were granted in the following cases: —Mavis Rubina Robinson (Mr. A. J. Moody) against Christopher Thomas Robinson; James Higginson (Mr. S R. Mason) against Marv Simpson Higginson; Annie Christoff (Mr. C. Sneddon) against Jordan George Ohristoff; Imelda Irene Boyd (Mr. Singer) against Joseph Lewis Boyd; Robert R. Keenan (Mr. Conlan) against Gladys M. Keenan; Ethel Maud Mary Houlahan (Mr. Milliken) against. Thomas Houlahan; Maude Beatrice Lucas (Mr. Nutsford) against Robert John Percival Lucas; Elsie Fickling (Mr. Turner) against Ernest Robert Fickling; Kdwin Jackson (Mr. Bainbridge) against Mara bell Sybil Jackson: Richard Maine (Mr Nutsford) against Blodwen Rnine; Jane Bunyan (.Mr. Webb) against Adam Bunyan; Margaret Davidson McGlennan (Mr. McLiver) against Frederick Walter McGlennan; Rita Edna Hollingsworth (Mr. Nutsford) against Richard Derwent Hollingsworth; Sarah Jane AvenelJ (Mr. Inder) against Henry James AvenelJ; Annie Norton (Mr. Slipper) against Alfred Norton; Freda Ona Roycroft (Mr. Slipper) against Henry Joseph Roycroft; Nellie Augusta Revell (Mr. Bodley) against James Douglas Revell; Eric Selwood Drake (Mr. C. Snedden) against Nelly May Drake; Annie Francis Isabel Jamieson (Mr. Jordan) against Arthur Cecil Jamieson (Mr. Singer); Isa Adams (Mr. Fracr) against Eric Bray Adams; Ivy Agnes May Irwin (Mr. Singer) aeainst John Edgar Irwin.

Decrees for Desertion On the ground of desertion decrees nisi were granted in the following eases:—Annie Rita Cavaye (Mr. Matthews), against Robert Ralph Cavaye; Marjorie Mellor Winn (Mr. Kemp) against John Farrar Winn (Mr. Singer); Winifred Ivy Gardner (Mr. Dickson) against Cyril Charles Tower Gardner; Ella Sommerfield (Mr. Nutsford) against Bernard Leopold Sommerfield; Marv Aileen Warwick (Mr. Nutsford) against John Walter Warwick; Walter Miller (Mr. Inder) against Mary Ellen Miller; Amo Kura Howard (Mr. Townshend) against Gilmore Howard; Harold William Palin Coop (Mr. Rogerson) against Agnes Brown Coop; Archibald Roy Leslie (Mr. Townshend) against Lena Maud Leslie.

Petitions for dissolution of marriage based on the failure of the respondent to comply with an order for the restitution of conjugal rights were successfully brought in the following cases: — Leslie James Wall (Mr. Haddow) against Mavis Amelia Wall; Jean Dudley Wilkio Best (Mr. Bainbridge) against Charles Cairn Best: Alfreda Gladys Shaw (Mr. Singer) against Ronald George Shaw (Mr. Inder); William John Stacey (Mr. Goulding) against Dorothy Gertrude Stacey. Adultery having been proved against the respondent the petitioner was granted a decree nisi in the following cases: —Sarah Holmes (Mr. Goulding) against Edwin V. W. H. Holmes-, Albert Lawrence Hill (Dr. McElroy) against Reina Muriel Hill (Mr. Singer).