SEVENTY DIVORCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22745, 3 June 1937, Page 16

SEVENTY DIVORCES

[RECORD FOR ONE DAY ALL CASES UNDEFENDED WIFE GIVES BACK RING PHOTOGRAPH TURNED TO WALL About 70 undefended divorce petitions occupied Mr. Justice Smith and Mr. Justice Callan in the Supreme C<?urt all day yesterday. The number of decrees granted probably constituted a record for one day. An ex-naval seaman, William George ' Stacey (Mr. Singer), told the Court that he was transferred from England to tho Queen Elizabeth and left for Gibraltar in January, 1924, parting on quite good terms with his wife, Winifred Stacey. A few days later he received at Gibraltar from his wife, to whom be was married in Portsmouth in 1921, a packet containing her wedding ring and a gold wristlet watch and a bracelet he had given her. In a letter she said she was giving •up the home and would not live with him again. Later she seiit him tho door key and said sho wan absolutely finished, adding: "I am now going to the devil, as you told me." He later found she had taken everything from the home except a picture of himself, which was turned to the wall. Mr. Justice Smith granted a decree nisi on the ground of desertion. Quick Separation "We lived together for one week," eaid Eric James Morse (Mr. Fawcett) in petitioning for a divorce from Alice Kura Morse on tho grounds of verbal separation. Mr. Justice Callan: You agreed to separate after one week's experience of married life? You were then aged 22 and she was 17? Petitioner: Yes. The decree was issued. Particulars of a war-time marriage that did not turn out happily were given by Archie Solden Collins (Mr. Matthews), who sought dissolution of his marriage with Agnes Mary Collins on the ground of wilful desertion. The petitioner said they were married in Aberdeen in November, 1918, while he •was on active service, and they came to New Zealand together the following year. They had two children and thsir married life was apparently happy. in 1933 a man friend came to stay with them and later went to Christchurch, said petitioner. His wife afterward went to Christchurch to stay with this man's people and on her return he noticed a change in her attitude. In January, 1934, she went again to Christchurch, taking with her personal belongings such as cutlery. After two months she ceased corresponding and would not answer his letters. She was still away and had made no - request to him for maintenance. Mr. Justice Smith issued a decree nisi. Having proved habitual drunkenness, fcmelty and failure to maintain against her husband, Sophie Esther McDowell (Mr. Singer) was granted a divorce decree against Alfred McDowell. All Dined Together " They always write in pencil, these ladies, when writing these crucial letters," said Mr. Justice Callan when hearing the petition of Arthur Edward Shephard (Mr. Lovegrove) against Rosanna Alberta Shepherd on the grounds of adultery. Petitioner said they were married on December 6, 1929, 'and his wife left him in April, 1935. There were six children. Petitioner had since visited respondent and ' .$> a man she was living with at a sawmill in the centro of the King Country. " I had dinner with them," said petitioner. A decree nisi was granted. i A successful petition on the grounds of failure to comply with a decree for the restitution of conjugal rights was made by Constance Patience Aickin [(Mr. Leys) against Thomas Casement Aickin. Petitioner said she was married to respondent on July 11, 1929, and lived ■with him until the beginning of 1936, when respondent left her. A petition for the restitution of conjugal rights was granted on November 19, 1936, but respondent had failed to comply with it. Cases 'of Separation Separation by mutual consent or by order of the Court was the ground on which decrees nisi were granted in tho following cases: —William Roy Henderson (Air. Wilkin) against Florence Helen Henderson (Mr. Townshend); George Algernon Menzies (Mr. Hall Skelton) against Thelma Clarisse Menzies; Ava Maude Pratt (Mr. Matthews) against Horace William Pratt ,(Mr. .Singer); Charlotte Williamina Meier (Mr. Dickson) against Arthur Emile Meier; Annie Emily Gay (Mr. Matthews) against Wyndham Allin Gay; Saul Moroney (Mr. Sullivan) against Rachel Moroney; John Whitehead (Mr. Sullivan) against Mary lirielda Whitehead; Sybil'Moura Hyde .(Mr. Skelton) against Albert Claude Hyde; Nancy Lucilee Langguth (Mr. North) against Werner Eugene Lang- , guih; Isabel Marguerite Yeats Hill (Mr. Elwarth) against William James Hill; Ethel Elizabeth Mary Long (Mr. North) against Richard Durant i Poole Long; Myrtle Irene Smith (Mr. Matthews) against Charles William Burton Smith; Ida Josephine McCreery ,(Mr- Singer) against » Ernest James McCreery; John Walker Brown (Mr. Thomas) against Dulcie Evangeline Bi-own; Eva Caroline Wilson (Mr. Kalman) against Douglas Wilson; Ernest Enslie Rhodes (Mr. Baevertz) against Lillian Edith [Rhodes; Gladys Maude Paton (Mr. Turner) against Robert Cecil Paton; Pearl Eileen Cropp (Mr. Field) against Leo Keith * Cropp; Frederick James Nealie (Mr. Conlon) against Caroline Mary Nealie; Leslie Walker Dent (Mr. Field) against Annie Louisa May . Dent; George Goodwin (Mr. Aekir.s) against Alice Winifred Goodwin; Leonora Sycamore (Mr. Field) against Harry Sycamore; Amy Mavis Searle (Mr. Stubbs) against Cecil Redvers Searle; Ruby Lavinia Lucas (Mr. Aekins) against' Norman William Jqhn Lucas; Philip Alcock (Mr. Sneddon) against Williamina West Violet May Alcock; Irene Luev King (Mr. Hubble) against James Thomas King; Jessie "Louisa McConnell (Mr. I(itzherbert) against Walter John McConnell. ■ ' ' < Desertion Proved •, On the ground of desertion decrees ,nisi were granted to the following petitioners: —Mona Elsie Oliver (Mr. Sullivan) against Leslie John Oliver; Lily Butler' (Mr. Nutsford) against Cyril Lawford Butler; Hilda Einelia Hinton (Mr. Sullivan) against Benjamin Frederick Hinton; Ruby Pearl Porter (Mr. Matthews) against Christfan Charles Porter; Marjory Winifred Fair (Mr. Sullivan) against Horace Charles Sbogsborg Fair; John Andrew Williams (Mr. Sullivan) against Mvra Williams; Annie Elizabeth Allen (Mr. Sullivan) against William Percy Allen (Mr,. Singer); Elizabeth Sharpe (Mr. Elwarth) against George William Sharpe; Hannah Hope (Mr. Henry) against John William Hope; Lyra Kate Cook (Mr. Hogben) against James ymwa Cook.

Proof having been given that the respondent had failed to comply with a decree for the restitution or conjugal rights, the following petitioners obtained decrees nisi:—Evelyn Violet Hayward (Mr. Ehvarth) against Wilfred Alexander Hayward; Marjorio Isabel Frances Goodricke Young (Mr. Hart) against Miles Archibald Young: Francis Charles Troubridge Walrond (Mr. Matthews) against Ena Sumnierfield Walrond (Mr. Singer); Florence Mary Frith (Mr. Lovegrovo) against Herbert Rand Frith (Mr. Rudd); Edna Genevieve Jane Atkinson (Mr. Meek) against Shelley Byron Atkinson (Mr. Singer); Percival William Rogers (Mr. Goldwater) against Nancy Zealandia Rogers. Decrees nisi were issued in the following cases on the ground that adultery had been proved against the respondent:—Patrick Miller (Mr. Nutsford) against Annie Miller and William Whylie; Louis Aaron Higham (Mr. Hart) against Alice Joan Higham (Mr. Ehvarth) and Jefi'ery Casey; William Herbert Landon (Mr. Mason) against Lvdia Isafrel' Landon and Gordon Sparks; Boreen Victoria Ruby Mackcn (Mr. Townshend) against Cecil Arnold Mackcn; Alfreda Doris Benjamin (Mr. Burt) against John Francis Benjamin. MARRIAGE RIGHTS PETITIONS FOR RETURN COURT ORDERS ISSUED Petitions for restitution of conjugal rights were granted by Mr. Justice Smith and Mr. Justice Callan in the Supreme Court yesterday. " She complained that life in Auckland was too dull for her," said petitioner, Edward Seager (Mr. Bartieet) in an application against Maureen Irene Amy Violet Seager for _ the restitution of conjugal rights. Petitioner said he was married in Dunedin in July, 1936, and came to Auckland a short time aftervrard. Mrs. Seager complained of the life in Auckland and it was agreed that she should return to Dunedin for three months. In October, however, she said she did not intend to come back and she had not returned since then. An order was made for return within 2S days. The statement that she had returned home one day to find that her husband had removed the furniture and gone was made by Ethel Oughton (Mr. Skelton), who sought an order for restitution of conjugal rights against Alfred Victor Oughton. She said she got .a shock, as she had thought they were getting on very well. Ihey were married in February, 1934. She found her husband at his people's place, but he had refused all requests to return to her. An order was made for restitution of conjugal rights within 14 days. Orders for respondent to return to petitioner within .14 days were made in the following cases:—Jack Eric Robinson (Mr. Hart) against Kathleen Marjorio Robinson; William Patrick Ryan (Mr. Dickson) against Margaret Blytlie Ryan; Vera Gwendoline Hill _ (Mr. Elwarth) against John Thomas Hill; Henrietta Gladys Wilkes (Mr. Nutsford) against John Henry Wilkes; Harold William Davidson (Mr. Lusk) against Mary Elizabeth'' Davidson; Frederick William George Taylor (Mr. Haigh) against Ruby Mildred Taylor; Gladys May Cooper (Mr. Stevens) against William Gordon Cooper. The period*for return was fixed at 21 days in the following cases: —Muriel Frances Beagley (Mr. Kirker, Te Aroha) against James Alexander Beagley; John Alfred Hegman (Mr. Milliken) against Dieudonnee Sissions Hegman. The period "was made 28 days in the case of Albert Henry August Rubaek (Mr. Brainwell) against Rongornai Jean Ruback.

CASE AT HAMILTON WIFE GRANTED DECREE [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON. Evidence that her husband left her in November, 1933. and that a separation order had been made in her favour in February, 1934, was given by Dorothy May Ross, of Kopaki, when Sectioning for-a divorce from Donald* lashford Ross, before Mr. Justice Fair in the Supreme Court at Hamilton-to-day. A decree nisi was granted.