PECULIAR DIVORCE CASE.

Western Star, Issue 839, 30 April 1884, Page 4

PECULIAR DIVORCE CASE.

Says the Melbourne “ World”: One of the most extraordinary cases which has ever been brought before the Australian Law Courts is about to be heard, and the evidence will make it equal in interest to that of the Mordaunt divorce, although no prince of the blood royal is inyo'ved in the proceedings. A squatter, who recently , sold a New South v'/a .s station for I £IO,OOO is the defend a it, and his own son and his old mistress are the plaintiffs. The female ptoVifE was engaged by defendant as. ii s housekeeper, but she lived with him as his wile for six years. The son meanwhile (writes the Melbourne correspondent of the “Horsham iTimes”) acted as bookkeeper on the.N.S.W. station; the housekeeper living with the old man in much splendour m St. James’ park, Melbourne. At the end of the time the son married the father s mistress, thus incensing the old man to such an extent that he altered an old will he had made in the son s favour* During the son’s reign as bookkeeptl on the station he had bought a piano for £BS. This sum he now demands of his father and seeks to recover by a County Court action. The wife -demands' £53 for wages, and j the old man defies them both. He alleges that the piano was included in the expenses of the station, and that the had her money in music lessons apd other educational facilities that he provided for her while she was his household fairy. It is acknowledged that when he sold the station he received full yalue for the piano, and it is uncertain where the real defence comes in. All parties are equally resolute. The lawyers will reap a fine harvest, and the washing of dirty linen is expected to, outdo every performance of that kind which has as.yet been achieved in public.