BANKRUPTCY-DIVORCE

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1932, Page 11

BANKRUPTCY-DIVORCE

SUPREME COURT BUSINESS LEFT WITH THE FAI’ERHANGER, MAN’S PETITION AGAINST WIFE. Undefended divorce, bankruptcy ahd miscfellarieous matters Were dealt With by Mr. Justice Reed in the Supreme Court' at New Plymouth on Saturday. On the grounds of ■ adultery Ernest Stephen George Avery was given a decree nisi, to made absolute after three rnbnths, against Mabel -Evelyn Avery, with coSts on tire, lowest scale against the co-respondent, Denis Septimus John Couchman. Custody of the children was hdt asked for. ■ Petitioner, who was. represented by Mr: T. B. Crump, said he was now working at the Waiters -Freezing Works, but at the time the proceedings were issued he was living at Eltham. He was married on July 2, 1923, at Kaponga. In November, 1930, Coachman was doing papering work in the house. Witness was Working away and'was home only at week-ends, .His wife had an accident and Couchman drove her to the hospital. It became necessary for her to return to the hospital the next week. Witness said he would come home to drive her to the hospital, but his wife said CoUchman would do so. On the following Thursday he reached home to find Couchman had taken her to the hospital. He found Couclunan had driven his wife to Kakaramea. Several times they went, to the pictures and did not arrive home until 2 a.m. He told her that was no way to carry on. His wife said, however, that She was going to Carry On, no matter what happened. She admitted adultery. She left the next day with Couchman for Kakarathea. They had been living together at Stratford as Mr. and Mrs. Couchman since then. Evidence was given by Ira J. Bridger, who was present in the solicitor’s office when a voluntary statement was made and signed by Mrs. Avery. In connection with Avery’s petition it was announced that a claim for damages had been abandoned. OTHER PETITIONS. Jacob Fryer (Mr. G. J. Bayley) was' granted a decree nisi to be made absolute after three months against Freda Mary Doris Fryer, the grounds being habitual drunkenness. Fryer, a horse trainer, Hawfera, who was married on May 4, 1911, said that for the last eight years his wife had been addicted to drunkenness. She had been sent' twice to Pakatoa Island and was still there. She had taken the pledge, but had not kept it. He had done everything humanly possible to assist her to, overcome her habits, but she was unable to fill her . place in the home. Corroborative evidence was given by Freda Fryer. Marjorie Frances Bell (Mr. F- S. Grayling) was granted a decree absolute and an order for maintenance, by agreement, against William Albert Charles Bell. On the grounds of separation, Ruby Catherine Eliza Pentecost (Mr. F. S. Grayling) was granted a decree nisi, to be moved absolute after three months, against Raymond Charles Pentecost. Custody was given petitioner and the respondent was ordered to pay costs on the lowest scale. • 1 ■ Petitioner said she was married on September 15, 1926, and had lived at New Plymouth and Wellington. On March 13, 1929, a separation order was made. There was one child. ... Corroborative evidence was given by Mrs. Brenmuhl, mother of the petitioner, and S. F. Collier, clerk of the Magistrate’s Court. Desertion was the grounds of a decree nisi, to be moved absolute after three months, granted George Douglas Franklin (Mr. G. Macallan) against Eveline Cooper Franklin, together with custody of the three, elder children. He was married on June 2, 1919, said Franklin. They had lived at Nelson, Masterton and Hastings. There were four children. About February 15, 1925, his wife had deserted him. Corroborative evidence was given , by Mrs. Edith M. Stone, New Plymouth. Alethea Winifred Wiggins (Mr. R. R. Tyrer) was given a decree nisi, to be moved absolute after three months, against Henry Wiggins, with costs on the lowest scale against respondent and petitioner to have custody of the youngest child. ’ She was married on January 30, 1904, at Palmerston North, said petitioner. On May 3,1909, her husband drove her from her home. He had previously threatened her when she had refused to mortgage her. home, for money to let him go farming. Since May, 1929, she had received nothing from her husband, and in. four years she had,received only £2 10s. She now had a home at Stratford bought with money left her by her father.

Corroborative evidence, was given by Moses T. Phillips. A decree nisi was made absolute and custody, of the child was given to George Lewis Bocock (Mr. -L. M. Moss) on his petition against Mary Martina Bocock. On a petition for a decree by Elsie Maude McLean against Alexander McLean. on the grounds of desertion, the making of tire. " order was postponed pending the production of further evidence of the service of the summons <?n the respondent. , . Mrs. McLean said she was married on January 8,-1907, and a separation order was obtained by her at Gisborne 1 on December 18, 1912., She had not seen or heard from her. husband since then. Henry Charles Lewer, Ohangaiti, a -brother of petitioner gave corroborative evidence.- ~ Mr. Bayley. represented Mrs. McLean. BANKRUPTCY -matters. M= T, Phillips, Stratford, was adjudicated bankrupt .on -the application of

a creditor represented by Mr. I. W. B. Roy. Discharge from bankruptcy was granted Harold Francis Tibbetts (Mr. H. R. Billing). The application of Frank Dent (Mr. C. E, Monaghan) for discharge was opposed by the petitioning creditor represented by Mr. F. S. Grayling. His Honour agreed to grant discharge, subject to Dent consenting to the deputy official assignee obtaining judgment against him for £47 7s lOd (costs) on behalf of the petitioning creditor, the order not to issue without the leave of the Court. A motion for an adjournment was to have been argued during the morning in the case of Catherine B. Bullock against Oswald M. Smith, but Mr. A. A. Taylor announced that a complete settlement had been reached and that the Court would not be troubled with the. action. ■ Announcements of settlements were made regarding the actions of James and Leslie Little versus R. S. O’Neill and Fanny A. Coupe versus A. J. Bland.