Twenty-four Undefended Divorce Cases Heard In Supreme Court To-day.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18935, 4 December 1929, Page 9

Twenty-four Undefended Divorce Cases Heard In Supreme Court To-day.

TWENTY-FOUR undefended divorce cases were set down for hearing in the Supreme Court this morning before his Honor Mr Justice Adams.

Amelia Anna Fitzgerald petitioned for divorce from Harold Joseph Fitzgerald, on the grounds of separation for over three years. Mr Dacre, for the petitioner, said the application was made under sub-section J of section 10 of the Act of last year, which provided that a divorce could be granted after a separation order had been in force for three years. Petitioner said that she had li\ r ed with her husband eight years and five months at Masterton and Christchurch. In October, 1921, she secured a separation from her husband on the grounds of failure to maintain. An order was made for the respondent to pay maintenance to her at the rate of 10s a week, but. she had received nothing from him during the past three years. Her husband had been drinking very heavily when she last heard of him. After other evidence was heard a decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute after three months. Wife Deserts Husband. On the grounds of desertion Harry Geoffrey Hibberdine (Mr Hunter) petitioned for a dissolution of his marriage with Cora Isla Hibberdine. Mr Hunter said that the respondent had been served with the notices in Sydney. Petitioner said that the marriage took place in London in June, 1916. They remained in England for some time, and two children were born. Subsequently they went to Malta for six months, after which he returned to London with his wife and children. In February, 1920, he came to New Zealand, leaving his wife and children in England. In 1922 his wife and the younger child came to New Zealand, and his wife remained with him only four months. His wife did not return to him, and in 1926 he received a letter from her in which she asked him to divorce her. He was now looking after both the children, and had maintained a home for them. He had no intention of returning to settle in England. A decree nisi was granted. “Finished With Married Life.” John Anderson, labpurer, of Christchurch (Mr Brassington), who petitioned for a dissolution of his marriage with Ettie Louisa Anderson, on the grounds of separation, could not remember the year of his marriage when giving evidence. The marriage certificate was put in by counsel. Petitioner said that in July, 1926, he found a note from his wife, who stated that she did not intend to live with him any longer. Subsequently she told him that she had finished with married life, and would have nothing more to do with him. He replied: “ Verv well; we will finish right now.” He had not spoken to her since then, although he had seen her on two occasions. He had custody of the child. He had not paid any maintenance to her. A decree nisi was granted. Husband Commits Adultery. Elsie Mona Elizabeth Fablzn (Mr Tv./neham) petitioned for a dissolution of . her marriage with John Charles Ralph Fabian on the grounds of adultery. Petitioner said she was married on April 25, 1928, at Neutral Bay, New South Wales, and there was one child of the marriage. She left her husband at the end of May, as a result of a discovery she made concerning her husband’s conduct. Corroborative evidence of the allegations of adultery was given by George Tilbury Robinson, estate agent. A decree nisi was granted, and an interim order for the custody of the child was made. Wife Admitted Adultery. % A verbal admission of adultery was made by Mabel Alice Lloyd (Mr Hunter), from whom Charles Lambert Lloyd (Mr Twyneham) sought a dissolution of marriage. Petitioner said that he lived with his wife until the end of July, 1927. On October 1, 1927, an agreement for separation was entered into, and he had not seen his wife since that date. There was one child of the marriage. Evidence was given that the respondent registered the birth of an illegitimate child, of which she was the mother. Arthur Thomas Bell, solicitor, said that the respondent verbally made an admission to him that she had committed adultery.

A decree nisi was granted, the question of custody of the child being held over.

; Agreed to Separate. On the grounds that a deed o£ i separation had remained in force since 1926, Ethel May Pettit (Mr Burnell) proceeded for divorce from William Henry Pettit. Evidence was given that the parties were married in Greymouth in 1902 and there %vere three children of the marriage. A decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute after three months. Wife Deserted. Desertion was the grounds cited by James George Thompson (Mr Burns), who petitioned for divorce from Mary Ann Thompson. Petitioner stated that some years after their marriage his wife formed a habit of drinking. He did his best to break her out of it, as it was causing continual trouble in the home. In 1924 his wife left him, and went to Auckland. He made several attempts to find her, but had not been successful. A decree nisi was granted. Money and Other Women. “Money and other women were the cause of the trouble,” said Pearl Catherine Mackay (Mr Twyneham), who sought divorce from Ernest Henry Mackay. “When I spoke to him about his going out with other women,” declared petitioner, “he just packed up his things and went. I was left with nothing.” A decree nisi was granted. Ellen Louise Reid (Mr Emslie) was , granted a decree nisi on her application for divorce from Tom Elliot Nor- , ton Reid, the grounds being that an agreement of separation had been in force since 1919. Misconduct Alleged. Harold Charles Moore (Mr Gresson) proceeded against Cecilia Moore (Mr Burns) on the grounds of misconduct. Petitioner stated that he and his , wife parted in 1928, finding that they ’ could not agree. Mr Burns stated that the respondent , admitted the separation and miscon- . duct. A decree nisi was granted. Annie Elizabeth Anson petitioned for divorce from Frederick John Granby Anson. Petitioner stated that the marriage took place in 1916. There were no chil- | dren. In September, 1928, petitioner found that respondent had been intimate with another woman, a Mrs M. ' Williams. Petitioner then separated from her husband. The parties were apart until the last week in August, when respondent asked her to go to Australia with him and start all over again. She consented, but they had only got as far as Nelson when respondent wanted to come back to Christchurch. They arrived back on a Sunday, and on the following Tuesday evening, by accident, petitioner found respondent and Mrs Williams out together. A decree nisi was granted. Religious Differences. Arthur James Inkster (Mr Burns) proceeded againet Margaret Inkster on the grounds that a verbal separation had remained in force for three years. Petitioner stated that religious differences had caused much trouble in the home. Respondent was of the Roman Catholic faith, while petitioner was a Protestant. In June, 1926, the parties agreed that the best way to settle their troubles was to separate. A decree nisi was graned. OTHER CASES. John Theakstone Ross (Mr Archer) was granted a decree nisi on the grounds that his wife, Gladys Lilian Ross, had failed to comply with an order for the restitution of conjugal rights. Cuthbert George Holland (Mr Saunders) was granted a decree nisi on a petition based on similar grounds in respect to Kathleen Cora Holland. Elsie Elizabeth Harper (Mr Cavell) petitioned for divorce from Claude Reginald Harper on the grounds that a deed for separation had remained in force for the full term. Petitioner asked for custody of the child of the marriage. A decree nisi was granted, with interim custody of the child.