TO AVOID PUBLICITY

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 21982, 10 March 1943, Page 4

TO AVOID PUBLICITY

DIVORCE AWAY FROM HOME JUDGE MAKES OBJECTION (Bv Telegraph —Press Association) BLENHEIM. Wednesday When a divorce case in which the petitioner resides at Christchurch and the respondent at Wellington came before Mr Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court today the judge promptly demanded to know why the proceedings were brought in Blenheim. “It was done to avoid publicity,” replied petitioner’s counsel. His Honour: The law requires that divorce proceedings shall be taken in open court. It is wrong to use the wrong court for the purpose of avoiding publicity. I only ask you to intimate to the solicitors who did it that it is a highly improper proceeding. The case was adjourned for the production of further evidence. The parties were Alma Jane Marris, Christchurch, and Eric Charles Augustus Marris, Wellington, a journalist. In a subsequent case in which Peter Henry Shipman, company director. Wellington, was granted a decree nisi, counsel explained that the case was brought on at Blenheim as the most convenient place in view of the fact that petitioner was constantly travelling about the Dominion. The judge: I still think Blenheim is a strange place of convenience in view of the fact tfyat his home is in Wellington. The passing through there, was it done for the purpose of reducing publicity? Petitioner: No. I have nothing to fear from publicity. The Judge: Very well.