SUPREME COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9323, 25 August 1908, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

* IN DIVORCE. Tuesday, August 25. (Before his Honor Mr Justice Denniston.) Mr Justice Denniston presided at tho Supreme Court to-day, when divorce cases were taken. HOPKINS v. HOPKINS. Alice Emily Maud Hopkins (Mr Hunt) petitioned for the dissolution of her marriage with William Hopkins, on grounds of adultery. His Honor, after hearing the evidence, grnted a decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, with custody o' the children of the marriage to the petitioner. BAYFIELD r. BAYFIELD. Ruby Margaret Bayfiekl (Mr Hunt) petitioned for tho dissolution of her marriage with Walter Thomas Bertram ' Bayfield, on the grounds of adultery. After hearing evidence, his Honor granted a, 1 decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, with costs against the respondent on the lowest scale. GENET v. GENET. Georgina Genet (Mr Donnelly) petitioned for tho dissolution of her marriage with Albert Genet on grounds of ill-treatment and desertion. After hearing the evidence, his Honor reserved hi« decision. COHEN v. COHEN. Mary Lila Letitia Cohen (Mr Alpers) petitioned for the dissolution of her. marriage with Ernest Edgar Cohen on the grounds of a refusal to obey an order by the Court for the restitution of conjugal rights. His Honor granted a decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, with costs against the respondent on the lowest scale.

CIVIL SITTINGS. BEATH AND CO. v. MANNING. Beath and Co. (Mr Cuningham) obtained judgment against Henry Manning for £4 4s 7d, the judgment being obtained in. the higher Court to enable the plaintiff to distrain on the defendant's land. JUDGMENTS. ANDERSON v. JAMES. In the case Anderson (Mr O. T. J. Alpers) v. James (Mi* C. W. Purnell), a claim for £600 damages for negligently allowing a house to be burnt down through the use of incubators, and on which a jury had given a verdict for the plaintiff, leaving certain law points for argument, his Honor gave judgment for the plaintiff for £550 damages with costs, and for the defendant on a counter-claim for specific performance of a covenant in the lease jfor repair of the burnt-down building, without costs. Mr Beswick appeared to take judgment for the defendant. LEONARD v. WILLIAMS. j In the case Thomas Leonard v. William Williams (Mr Raymond), an appeal from the decision of Mr Turton, S.M., at Timaru, who awarded the respondent £57 10j damages in respect of the removal of stubble from land leased to the appellant, his Honor gave judgment for the respondent, upholding the Magistrate's decision. Mr Hunter appeared to receive judgment for the appellant, and Mr Cassidy for the respondent.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 25. At the Supreme Court, David Henry Kellett was found not guilty on a charge of assault with intent, but guilty of a common assault on a young girl in tho street. He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment. WELLINGTON, August 25. Edward George Hansen, an es-con-tingenter, was gentenced at the Supreme Court to-day to two years' imprisonment on a charge of breaking and entering at Eketahuna. WANGANUI, August 25. The Supreme Court sessions were opened this morning. Mr Justice Chapman, in charging the Grand Jury, congratulated them on the almost total absence of serious crime in this important and growing district. The number of cases was so small that he thought he was justified in. speaking of it as representing an almost total absence of serious crime. George Stephen Lawrence, of Ormondville, who had pleaded guilty in the lower Court to having -made a false declaration of birth in respect of two children, with, the object of protecting them and their mother, was fined £3. INVERCARGILL, Augusts. The Supreme Court sittings were opened to-day before Mr Justice Williams. There were only three cases set 1 down for hearing, one of sheep stealing and two of shooting with intent. True bills were found in all cases. The hearing of the case against Thomas Stott, a coloured man, for having wounded a gitl named Mary Ann Brown, with inT tent, is proceeding. Stott visited tho house with a gun in his possession-, the girl sought refuge in a bedroomand the > weapon was discharged, inflicting serious injury to her arm. The defence was " that the gun was fired accidentally. He was found guilty, and his Honor de- : ferred sentence until he had read "his : notes of a previous case in which. Stott " was charged with murder and acquit- '■■■ ted.