THE MEWHINNEY MISERY.

NZ Truth, Issue 352, 23 March 1912, Page 6

THE MEWHINNEY MISERY.

__•_- Costs of a Cause Celebre. "IJruth" has been permitted to take a peep at the little bill of costs presented ito Oliver Mewhinney by JN^essrs Gray and Jackson, solicitors for Mrs Mewhinney, m connection with that almost interminabl& cause celebre, Mewhinney v. Mewhinney v The account, as might, be expected^ is fine arid large, amounting to the tidy ; sum of £359 Ids 2d. The court gave costs the husband, Oliver Mowhinney, as is usually the practice m divorce suits, but did iso on the lowest scale, though i Mewhinney's position might have stood a higher- impost. No doubt the court had a good and sufiicient I'eason for its mercy. However, this little bill of nearly £360 can be regarded as only half the total sum Mewhinney will be asked to part with. There is his own COUNSEL'S COSTS IN ADDITION. In accordance with the / court's award of costs on the lowest scale, Mewhinney has paid Messrs Gray and Jackson £105 9s on account. But, it seems, they are not at all satisfied with such a Hea-bite, and demand the balance of £25-1 5s 2d. This they have a right to do." According to divorce law, the court cannot allow costs to the wife as between solicitor and client, but if the wife's solicitor wants more than party and party costs he must re-' cover them m a common law action. II Mewhinney by now ha.s not lost his ••punch," as have other hopeful warriors, and the other side wants its full pound of flesh, there is a possibility tha*t" the public has not heard the last of the Mewhinneys' matrimonial misfit. This all goes to show what an expensive and disturbing thing a divorce action must be' to anyone concerned who will not taka i$ philosophically as the best way out of a bad bargaiu. i :