DIVORCE COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 8, 4 October 1919, Page 14

DIVORCE COURT

UNDEFENDED CASES. His Honour Mr. Justice Masking presided over a sitting of. the Divorce Court yesterday, and heard the following undefended divorce ca.soJ:— Marv Mllen Stanley sought a dissolution of her marriage with Joseph Frederick Stanley, on the grounds of misconduct. Mr. R. ,H. Webb appeared for the petitioner, who sulci she hud lived happily for seven years, and then discovered that he.- husband was intimate with another woman. She forgave him this, and they continued lo live together until February, 1019, when she-complain-ed to him about his conduct, and ho warned her that if she did not. go out he woiild put her out. She left the house, and discovered in May last that he was misconducting himself with a married wo'ninn. He was living with this woman; Corroborative evidence having been given, His Honour granted a decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months. CASE ADJOURNED. Desertion was the ground of the petition of John William Matthews for, die dissolution of his marfitige -rith Mary Matthews. Tho parties were married on July 13. 1010, and lived at Pahiiitua And Kapunga. Thero were no children of the marriage. In April, 1913, they were living on a farm at Kapmga, where thev did not ge;on well together; there was another man in the house; and witness had several grounds' for complaint respecting his wife's conduct, Witness left tlie. house and returned thj next, day, but respondent said she would uot livo with him again Witness lelt Ivaponga immediately, and went to Taihape, nud since then he had not heard from respondent, until shortly before he took divoree proceedings. & He wrote to her, and she replied. Vritness did not support her, and he did not know how she managed. He left her on the farm at Kaponjui, and she could easily have found witness if she desired to. His Honour said lie did not think the ease amounted to desertion. Tho ninn simply went away. Witness gave further details' of tho happenings at Ktiptmgu, and. said that on one occlusion he found respondent in the sitting-room with the owner of the farm alter midnight. ' Witness spoke to his wife then, and uhc replied she would do as she liked. -Witness balieveu that she had a preference for the other man. Counsel said it was difficult; to obtain corroborative evidence. His Honour: "Then it v.-otiM ha equally difficult to obtain a- divorce." Continuing, His Honour said the nigy. simply lelt his wife—practically abandoned her. and took no steps to find out how she was living. Mr. 11. H. Webb, who appeared for tho petitioner, wished to produce authorities, and His Honour accordingly adjourned the case for argument before two or mure Judges on a date to be fixed. '.. A NATIVE CO-RHSPONDENT. Atlwl Hmitly M'Kny, of Wellington, Railway clerk, for whom Mr. D. Stanley Smith iippenred, petitioned fn.' the dissolution of h.is marriage with JJnbel Elizabeth M'Kny, on the grounds o: misconduct, the co-respondent being Whelu Ttiuri. an aboriginal Native. The parties were ' married on Octolxv •!-,, 1911, and there were three children of the tr.avlvigo The respondent in A;i:-il, 11119, gave'birth 16 a child which win re„i.itered as tin ilkgitimat,!, the (o-re.-, l.«indcut being named as Lie lather of tho ehiltl. Evidence in sui.;mrl burin,; been given, His Honour ".rsiiivd n decree nisi t.n be made r,li.:,i!ut.!-i.i three months.