UNDEFENDED DIVORCE CASES HEARD IN SUPREME COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19070, 15 May 1930, Page 8

UNDEFENDED DIVORCE CASES HEARD IN SUPREME COURT .

The largest number of undefended divorce cases for a fairly long time came before Mr Justice Adams in the Supreme Court to-day . Twenty-six petitions were set down.

Olive Rosa Tinker (Mr Hunter) said that her marriage with Walter David Tinker (Mr Thomas) was an unhappy one. There were seven children by the marriage. In October, 1926, they separated. In August, 1928,- they entered into a deed of separation.

Petitioner’s father said that the marriage always was unhappy. Tinker told him that there was no possibility cf getting on with his wife, and that he was leaving New Zealand. A decree nisi was granted. Interim custody of the children was granted to the wife.

Complained of Her Allowance. Alexander Mathieson Hall, labourer, Balclutha (Mr Sargent) said that his wife, Addie Dorothea Hall, deserted him in 1921. She had complained that he did not give her enough money, and that she could earn more and have a good time. lie wrote to her, but the letter was returned through the dead letter office. He understood that she was earning her living in Sydney. A decree nisi was granted. Wife Was Dissatisfied.

Robert Drury, engine-driver (Mr Hobbs) said that for five years he lived with his wife, Clara Medina Drury. In 1913, she was dissatisfied. She was younger than he was, and wanted to go to dances. She went out to work, and sometimes stayed out. He told her that she must choose between work and her home. There were no children of the marriage. A decree nisi was granted. Wanted To See Exhibition.

Desertion was the ground on which Henry Cross, labourer (Mr Brown) sued for divorce from Marion Cross. He said that in December, 1925, she asked that she should be allowed to go to the Dunedin Exhibition. He replied that he could not spare the money. She asked again, and again he refused. She said: “I will go, and if I do you won’t see me any more.” The next day, he found that his wife, his furniture and £o had gone. A decree nisi was granted. Likes The Town. John William Briggs, farmer, Hornby (Mr Gee) said that Mary Esther Briggs was a widow with four boys and a girl when he married her. He had maintained one of the boys practically all the time, and had kept the other children when they were unemployed. His wife left him. The reason was that he asked two boys with him to go out and get work. Returning from one of his farms, he found the boys packing up the furniture. lie was fond of his wife. There was nothing to cause her to leave the home, which was comfortable, but she preferred to live in town with the children. An order was made for restitution of conjugal rights. Simply Went Away.

Ethel Ilodson (Mr Archer) said that her husband, William Frederick Hodson, labourer, deserted her in March, 1923.- There were six children by tlie # marriage. lie simply went away.’ She did not know where he was. Evidence that the wife has maintained herself with the help of her two daughters, keeping boarders, was given. A decree nisi was granted, the wife to have interim custody of the children. Wife Was Discontented.

Samuel Godfrey Asher, storeman, Oamaru (Mr Cuthbert) was granted an order for restitution of conjugal rights against Catherine Ann Asher. lie said that she became discontented, although she had no reason for discontent. She left him in 1928. He had tried to induce her to return, without success. Promised to be Back Soon.

Mary Laura Modrich, Brookside (Mr Nicholls) was granted a decree nisi against George Modrich on the ground of desertion. Petitioner said that her husband was a masseur and a naturalised Dalmatian. They had lived at Brookside and Auckland. He left in 1920, saying that he would be back soon, but she never heard of him again. Since the desertion, she had lived with her parents, who supported her.

Left a Letter. Hugh Joseph Maher, carpenter (Mr Wood), said that his wife, Sophia Frances Alice Maher, deserted him, leaving a letter, which contained untrue allegations. They had lived in Christchurch until 1926. There were no children by the marriage. His Honor: Why did she leave you? —Don’t know. Gave no reasons at all?—None. His Ilonor: She alleges matters which, if true, hardly could be described as no reason. Mr Wood said that the husband denied the allegations. A decree nisi was granted Could Not Afford It.

Edward Albert George Taylor Wedderspoon (Mr Thomas) said that in Wellington there was trouble w’ith his wife, Evadne Shepherd Wedderspoon, over the amount of money she was spending, and she left him, going to Australia. His Honor: Was there no cause, no reason, for her going?—l complained of her spending. I could not afford it. sir. A decree nisi was granted. Ordered Her Out. Anne Mobbs (Mr Thomas) said that her husband, Arthur Mobbs, ordered her out of the home. Since then he had not maintained her. He began a suit for restitution of conjugal rights, which was dismissed on the ground that he did not want her back. A decree nisi was granted, on the grounds of desertion. The wife was given interim custody of the child. Other Cases. 1 Leslie Henry Harrington, labourer, Takamatua (Mr Twyneham), petitioned for divorce from Ida Rita Mavis Harrington on the ground of misconduct. A decree nisi was granted. Henry Kenmir Patten (Mr Sargent) was granted a decree nisi against Frances May Patten, separation. Mutual separation was the ground on which William Codings (Mr Sargent) was granted a decree nisi against Olive Ann Codings (Mr Brown). Rena Eileen Christie, Wellington (Mr Lockwood), was granted a decree nisi against Clarence Lyndon Piatara Christie, musician (Mr Hanna), separation. Matilda Adelaide Victoria Eldred (Mr Sargent) was granted a decree nisi against Arthur Ernest Eldred, labourer, on the ground of desertion and failure to maintain. She said that he would not leave his mother, with whom they lived. lie went to the war, and returned, and since then she had not had a penny from him. Under a deed of separation, Maude Clegg (Mr Twyneham) was granted a decree nisi against William James Clegg. Gordon Lancelot Young, clerk (Mr Sargent), was granted a decree nisi against Margaret Young. Alice Watson Sloper, Ashburton (Mr Kennedy), was granted a decree nisi against William Charles Sloper, labourer, separation.

Flora Macdonald M’Cullough M'Sherry (Mr Sargent), who separated from her husband, Frederick Rowland M’Sherry, carpenter, in 1924, under a deed, was granted a decree nisi. Ethel Maude M’Clelland (Mr Lascelles) was granted a decree nisi against Thomas Warnock M’Clelland, farmer, mutual separation. A decree nisi was granted in Thomas Woodward, railway employee, Cass (Mr Brown), against Henrietta Woodward, mutual separation. Jennie Woods (Mr Brassington) granted a decree nisi against Howard. Vincent Thomson Woods, of Islington, under a deed of separation. Edith Winifred Hill (Mr White) was granted a decree nisi against Samuel David Hill, retired civil servant (Mr Thomas), mutual separation. A decree nisi was granted in the case of Helen Edith Parsonson (Mr Sim) v, George Fritz Parsonson, insurance clerk, deed of separation. The decrees nisi will be made absolute at the end of three months.