BROKEN HOMES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10522, 25 February 1920, Page 6

BROKEN HOMES

SOME BAD CASES CRUEL AND UNFAITHFUL HUSBANDS DIVORCED. More divorce cases were dealt with in the Wellington Supreme Court yesterday. The presiding judge was Mr Justice Sim. and Mr T, M. Wilford was the counsel engaged in every case. DRUNKARD WHO BEAT HIS WIFE Kate Edwards petitioned for divorce from Herbert Edwards. In evidence -Mrs Edwards stated that she was married at the Wellington Registry Oflice on December Ist, 1903. They lived at Treutham and at Waikanae. Thov had three children. Her married lile was not happy. Edwards was an habitual drunkard from the time of tho marriage till he ejected her in 1914 at Waikanae. Day in and day out he was always under the influence of liquor. At the time of their marriage he was a labourer, but they leased a farm from her mother. At Waikanae ha worked at a sawmill, but he used to go off work for weeks at a stretch. He used to kuock her about and ouoe he cut her eye with his fist so badly that she had to have five stitches iu tho wound. He frequently threatened to do for her and blow lier brains out. Slio had often hidden the gun between the.two children when they were in bed. On tho, day he turned her out without- a penny he gave her a bad thrashing. About three years ago she went back and lived with Edwards for eight days to give him a chance, but he was drunk all the time and it was impossible to stay with him. Pie again turned her out.

Gertrude Mary Dobson, a sister of the petitioner, said she had lired with the Edwards’s and had seen him knock his wife about shamefully on many occasions.

Eva May Smith, another sister, corroborated the evidence already given. A decree nisi was granted, and the petitioner was given custody of her two surviving children. MAN WHO FAILED TO PROVIDE A HOME. Florence May Smith wished to have her marriage . to Randolph Jame. 1 ) Smith dissolved. Mrs Smith said she was married to Smith on January sth, 1911. In 1915 they were working at a motor-garage establishment as a married couple, she as a housekeeper, he ps a car-cleaner. He worked there two weeks and then walked out without saying a word. Her married life had not been satisfactory as she had never had a home, and had always had to go to work. She had no children, She found recently that Smith was Hying with' another woman and four of her children. Petitioner was now manageress of a hotel at Petone. .

Evidence was given that petitioner had earned her own living for some years. A decree nisi was granted. UNFAITHFUL MAN'S ADMISSION. Violet Nesbit sought divorce from Henry Robert Nesbit, to whom sho was married on June 30th, 1915. at St. ja. lies’s Church, Newtown, by the Rev. Shirer. ’ ■ i■< .A-l Petitioner said that'there were no children of the marriage. She accused him of having committed adultery or November 12th, 14th and 15th with Olive Wilson or Olive Chrichton. Nesbit had been telling her when he went out at nights, that he was going tc work. One day she offered to go with him, and he said she could not, a* he was going on business. She followed him and saw 'him go into a house in Webb street. Soon she saw him light up a room in which-'there was also a woman. The light went out, and after a. while, reappeared. When he returned home he admitted that the place was a house of ill-fame. Previously, when he was in camp at Featherston, he came to 'Wellington with the hand and did not return 'when the other men did, and he admitted that he had stayed because he met a lady friend. Alice May Cunningham said she was with petitioner, her sister, when petitioner watched Nesbit go into the Webb street house. A private inquiry agent said he had watched the house in Webb street at night and had twice seen Nesbit enter and stay a while. In a couple ot hours, one evehipg, he saw nineteen men enter the lioilte. There were four women there. The place was a brothel. Letters which -were said to have been written by respondent were put in to show that Nesbit admitted that he had not “played the game to Violet," and considered he should facilitate her efforts to regain her freedom. . A decree ms! was granted. DECREES ABSOLUTE. Decrees Absolute were granted in the following cases: —Adelaide Jane Tottcy v. Fred Tottey, Hildergard Eady’ v. Albert Eady, Elizabeth Stuart Pearson v. John Pearson, Lilian Eliza Fox v. William James Fox.