THE COURTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLX, Issue 8167, 19 August 1887, Page 2

THE COURTS.

DIVORCE COURT. Thursday, August 18. (Before his Honor Air Justice Richmond.) ERICSON V. ERICSON. Mr H. Travers for the petitioner. The respondent did not appear, and was not represented by counsel. Mr Travers said this was a petition by the wife, Marion Ericaon, for dissolution of marriage on the ground of adultery and cruelty. The petitioner also prayed that she might have the custody of her three children. Marion Erieson, the petitioner, deposed that she was married to Charles Ericaon in Wellington, in 1879, at St. Peter’s Churchy being then 17 years of age. Three children were born. About 18 months after marriage her husband began to ill-treat her, beating her and giving her a black-eye. He was always coming home the worse for liquor. He was a wharf laborer, and they lived on a coal hulk for five years. In 1884 they came to live in the town, and witness found it necessary to apply for a protection order against him in 1885, which was granted. She had left her husband, and he was ordered to pay 24s a-week toward the support o! his children, which he never paid. He was sent to gaol for failing to comply with the order. Witness had been living with her parents ever since she left him. He used to earn about £5 a week. Since witness left her husband he had been in gaol for drunkenness. Heard that her husband was in the Hospital. Dr Gray Hassall, Resident Medical Officer at the. Hospital, deposed that he remembered a person who gave the name of Charles Thompson being in the Hospital as an inpatient. He subsequently admitted that bis real name was Erieson. He was suffering from venereal disease very recently contracted.

This was the case for the petitioner. His Honor said there was no proof of identity. There might be ten thousand men named Ericson.

Dr Hassell, recalled, said Ericson told him he was a married man. While Ericson was in the Hospital Mrs Ericson gave him a photograph of her husband, which he identified as that of tbe man Thompson.. His Honor remarked that the case was very bare. It was too much the practice of people to bring oases in like this. However, he thought the evidence was sufficient, and he would grant a decree nisi. As to the custody of the children, his Honor granted an interim Order, the arder for permanent custody to be made when the decree was made absolute. SUPREME COURT.—CRIMINAL SITTINGS. (UNITED ekess association.) Nelson, August 18, The Supreme Court circuit sittings opened yesterday morning and terminated in the afternoon. There were but two prisoners for trial. John Rose, a young man, charged with the forgery and uttering ot a cheque for £7 12s 6d, was convicted and sentenced to three years’ penal servitude, there being two previousconvictions against the prisoner, who defended himself with ability. David Alexander McLeod, charged with the larceny of a bank draft and with forging an endorsement thereto, was also convicted and sentenced to three years’ penal servitude, there being a previous conviction against him.