DIVORCE COURT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1315, 13 May 1897, Page 19

DIVORCE COURT.

There are some marriages which are not made in heaven. This was exemplified in a striking way on Tuesday when William Greenfield (represented by Mr Menteath) applied to the Chief Justice for a divorce from his wife, on the grounds of desertion and adultery with a man named Baker. According to his own sworn statement, Greenfield was a mariner at the time of his marriage in October, 1891. He furnished a house for his wife and used to see her for a day or two in each week as his boat came into port. About a year after his marriage, which was resultless as to issue, she mentioned to him one morning that she had an illegitimate child boarding out, and asked his permission to bring it home. After some demur he complied. He left the sea about this time, and worked about town, but finding that things were not going well fie handed his wife all his available money, .£6 10s, and went into the country to look for woivk. When he returned his wife had removed to another house, had sold nearly nil his furniture and then decamped, going tp. reside with a woman who kept a second-hand shop. Interviewed by her husband, tyfrs Greenfield said (re .furring to Baker), got him, and I like him, and I J II keep him, apd you can do your d—- - Shortly afterwards she left for Auckland with Baker under an assumed name, Greenfield having the melancholy satisfaction of seeing them off at the wharf. His errant spouse left a note inscribed “ Your deceitful wife,” informing him that she was going, and stating that she had got a good place as a barmaid. The petitioner called a witness (Thomas Kerwin), who deposed that he saw Mrs Greenfield at Auckland, and visited her at a three-roomed cottage in which she resided with Baker. The latter was boots at an hotel, and was earning 10s a week, and Mrs Greenfield, who had meantime acquired a family, was filling up a big gap in the revenue by washing. She enquired of Kerwin if he thought the “ old man ” (Greenfield) would be likely to send her any money, and her visitor responded that under all the circumstances he thought it extremely unlikely. His Honor granted a decree nisi, but, in reply to Mr Menteath, he said it would be useless to make an order for costs against the co-respondent.