SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3017, 2 March 1917, Page 3

SUPREME COURT

IN DIVORCE UNDEFENDED CASES

Hie Honour Mr. Justice Chapman presided over a sitting of the Divorce Court yesterday.. Judgment was given by His Honour in tho case in which. Horace ltupert Maybury sought a dissolution, on grounds of desertion, of his marriage with Annette Maud Haybury. Despondent counterpetitioned on grounds of cruelty, Jiis Honour said respondent had not proved any acts of physical v violence. There was, moreover, nothing to prove that petitioner had intended to desert his wife, and he was entitled to a dissolution. His Honour allowed costs against tho rcpondent. Failure to maintain and ' habitual drunkenness wore the grounds of a petition by Augusta Daisy Brian for a dissolution of her marriage with Leo Augustus Brian. A decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute in three months. Jane- Neville Toy eued for a divorce from Alfred Toy, alleging adultery. Decision of the casts was held over, pending argument upon a point of law. Joseph Boucher alleged adultery as the grounds of a petition for divorce from tie wife, Florence Boucher. He eaid he had recently been committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of doing grievous bodily harm to the corespondent, Arthur Stephen Durling. The grand jury had thrown the bill out. A decree nisi was granted, to be made absolute in three months. The co-re-spondent waa ordered to pay costs on the lower scale.

Edith M'P.herson, whose husband, John M'Pherson, had wilfully deeerted her, was granted a decree nisi, to become absolute in three months. The respondent was ordered to pay costs.

Desertion was alleged also in the case of Alice Thomson, who sought a divorce from John Bain Thomson. A decree nisi was granted, with costs on the lower scale against the respondent. Constance Helena Kondal Wilton petitioned for a divorce from Clarence Arthur Wilton, -who. ehe alleged, had deserted her ia 1908. Petitioner was granted a decree nisi, and costs were allowed axainst the respondent.

A petition by Violet Marshall, who alleged adultery on tho part of her husband, George Horaoe Marshall, was next heard. A decree nisi was granted. Elizabeth Jane Hutchinson applied for a decree of nullity in respect of her marriage with Joseph Pickering. Evidence was given that Pickering already had a wife when he went throuch the form of marriapre with the petitioner. The latter said that the ceremony took place at Woolwich, England, and that ehe remained for two years in ignorance of Pickering's poeition. His Honour granted a decree.

A similar decree was granted in the case in which William Oscar Cochraneappeared as petitioner ajcainst Maud May Cochrane, who was sentenced at Wellington to three months' imprisonment for bigamy. Charles Augustus Lloyd petitioned, for a divorce i'rom Jane Lloyd on grounds of misconduct. A decree nisi was granted, and costs on the lower scale were allowed against tho co-respondent, A. Lynn.