DIVORCE COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 54, 27 November 1919, Page 5

DIVORCE COURT

UNDEFENDED CPS : SEVENTEEN DISSOLUTIONS APPLIED FOR His Honour thu Chief Justice (Sir .Robert Stout) presided over n 'sitting of tJiR Divorce Court yesterday, when a -number of undefended suite were'heard. "-..■ . LBVIEN V. LEVIEN. Louisa .Mildred Levien, for whom JSIr. V. AV. Jackson appenreo, petitioned for the dissolution of her marriage with Sydney Henry Augustus Lovien on the grounds of desertion and misconduct. After marriage the parties lived in Wellington until 1917, when a separation came nbout. and they had not lived tosrether since. The petitioner had ascertained that the respondent was living with another woman. J. Watson, tailor, residine at Kilbirnie, saio' that respondent, and a woman whom witness look to bo his wifo lived with him in Kilbirnie for about three months. The woman was not the petitioner. A decree nisi, was eranted, to be moved absolute in three months, with costs against the respondent

CARPENTER V. CARPENTER. Stanley Carpenter, for whom Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared, sought a dissolution of,his marriage with Fanny Cnrr.enter, for whom Mr. E. P. Bunny appeared, on tlss cround of misconduct. The petitioner who is a steward, said ho was married to .the respondent in December, IMG. nnd there were four children of the marriage, threo of whom were in the Education Board Eeceiving Home. The petitioner had not lived with his wife for three vears. She was livinp; with anntlwr mail. She had an illegitimate child which was registered at Nelson in March. 1019. The misconduct was admire I. but the respondent desireo.' thnt the children should not be -left in the . oustodv of the petitioner. This question is to stand over until the decree absolute was moved three months hence. The deirco nisi was granted. . CfiOSS V. CKOSS. Sγ J lie v Kobert Cross sought to dissolve his marriage with Dorothy Dolene Mary Cross on tho ground of desertion. Mr. It H. Webb appeared for the petitioner. The parties were married m November, IMS. an.l lived at Stratford, Masterton, an-1 AVellineton. In 1912 petitioner went canvassing, irith" his wife's approval. His wife went to live with her mother, an.l wrote to petitioner, to sny that she did not desiro to resume married life with 'petitioner. The nctitioner went to the front with the Fifth Reinforcomsnrs. He was unable to find his wife Drijr to leaving for the front, so he left the allowance for his wife to bo <paid to her father. Mr. Webb saio: he had no -further evident to offer. His Honour said that thorn o'lsht to be some corroboration of the (Ifsi'ttioii. • The case was accordingly _ adjourned for the production of this evidence, ...... . MILNN V. MUNN. . Arthur Thomas Jlunn also made desertion the Kround of his petition for dissolution of his marriage with Ida Ellen A[n mi. Mr P. W. Jackson appeared for the petitioner, who saio: that he was nmi's'w.'d to the respondent on November 15. I'KJS. in Christchurch. Tliero were four children of the miirrinfje, but ono had been accidentally killed since divorco nroccdiiins were connrfneed. Witness hail the other children in his custody. Tlvivo wii.s a separation between them, when his wife went to Mmerston North, nnd he contributed to her maintenance. Lifer Iw wrmo to his. wife to say thnt he coulrf not continue to support her and the children, and asking her to re- ' trim. Eventually the petitioner joined liis wifc at Wnnganiii, and lived with her fo; , some time. In li)U they decided tn enme to' Wellinston. The petitioner flame down first, and his wifo later refiifod to come. Petitioner went back to Wansanui. but found that' his wifo had soneto Aucltlnnfl'.. Ho had not seen her since. Corroborative evidence havinj? bee-n Rivoii, His Honour granted n oecree nisi, to ijc moved absolute in three months. M'KENNA V. M'KENNA. Habitual drunkenness end cruelty wero the grounds upon which May MMCenna sought a dissolution of her marriage with Bernard Michael M'Kenna. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for the petitioner, who, in the course of her evidence, said that blib was married to the respondent in Blenheim in July, 1911. Thcro were three children. Soon after marriage the respondent began drinking, and prohibition orders were issued against him. The petitioner came to Wellington, where she maintained borself and her childrn. The respondent followed Inter, and they lived together asnin. His conduct, however, was bad; ho was habitually <irunk, .an I,was cruel to,her.». The respondent had never maintained her. She had worked to maintain herself and children. Porrobativo evidence was given by two witnesses, and His Honour • granted rv dwireo nisi, to be moved absolute in three months, ana the petitioner was given custody of tho children. . ' WILLIS V. WILLIS. Air. T. Neave appeared for Claude Berrhftn Willis, who sought a dissolution of his marriage with Huby Florence Leila , "Willis, on the grounds of desertion. The petitioner said he marired tho respondent on AiiEiist 15, 190!!, at Gordon, New Knuth Wales, and lived in Sydney. • Oa Marcli 10. 1909, when he came home from his work, he.found that his wife had vanished. He had not henrd from or aeeii her since. Ho employed a private detective to find out what had become of her, but she could not be discovered. Tho petitioner rohirned to New Zealand in 1913, and hart lived with his mother. He went to France with the Nineteenth Reinforcements. Corrobortitivo evidence was given by tho mother of the petitioner, and Hia Honour eranted a decree hisi, v to be moved absolute in three months. WEBLEY V. W.EBLEY. Habitual drunkenness and cruelty were the grounds of tho petition of Annie Wchlev, who sought a dissolution of'her murriaeo with Albert' Edward Webley. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for the petitioner, who staterf that she was married to tho'respondent in Wellington on March 23, 1891, and there wero three children, all grown up. The respondent had been more or les? drunk alinO9t from the beginning of their married life. Ho had not properly maintained her at any time, and tho petitioner had to work to maintain herself and children. In May last she was obliged to obtain a separation order because of his cruelty. The •. respondent was Fit present in an inebrinto home. Edwin George Webley, eldest son of the parties, corroborated the evidence of his mother, and a. constable also gave evidence as to the drunken hubits of tho i-psno'ident. His Honour granted a dofen nisi, to bo moved absolute in three months. . Hansen v. Hansen. Aljix. Thorvnld Hansen sought a dissolution of his marriage with Amy Mvrlle Elizabeth Hansen, on the grounds of uiiscononct with Frnnk Herber.t MorrU. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for the petitioner, who stated that he "narriert tlie rpsrondent in Feathcraton on March 23. 191G, nnd there was one child. Petitioner went to tho wur on January 2, 19lli. nnd returned in May last.. Whilo hn whf awav his wife drew his pay tiutil August, 1918. When in France'he received a letter-to sny that she hno' taken un with another man. When the peti- . tinner returned to New Zealand- he heard that his wife was living with the coranoiiilent at Pahiatua. He went up t.liere. mid saw his wife, and subsequentlv Bceured tlm custody of his child, ami obtained lwession of some fnniiturn whicli his wifa'had romown. Hia wifo gave birHi tn a child during his iibseme, and this -wiis rejislered ns an illp!:itiniate, jind the cn-rcsnmulent ,was nnnicd as the fother. His Honour granted :i (lr/creo nisi, io.bn moved absolute in thrne montlis, with (-osts against the coresnondent. SIM V. SIM. ' Mr. P. AV. Jackson appeared for.Florpnee Louisa Sim, who sought a dissolution of her mam'ugo with Thomas Sim on I ho ground of miscoiiciuct. Tie parties wero married

in 1908 'at AVellington and lived in Taranaki nnd Auckland. Tliero was ono child of tho marriage. Tho respondent went to tho front with the Seventh Reinforcements and returned in July last, but the respondent had not come ne.lr the petitioner. AVhilo the respondent was at the front petitioner heard certain things,, and in consequence- wrote to the Defence Minister, who in his reply stated that the respondent was in the V.D.. section at Codford. An officer of the Defence Department wns called, but-he declined to produce tho file under instructions from the Department, and His Honour said ho could not compel the officer to produce the file. After some argument His Honour adjourned the hearing for the production of further evidence in corroboration. SCOTT v. SCOTT. Charles Edward Scott sought a dissolution of his marriage with Ethel Scott on tho ground of misconduct. Mr. T. Aeave appeared for the petitioner. The parties were married on March U, 1908, in Wellington. The petitioner went to the front with the Fifth Reinforcements, and returned on March 15 last. While he was away hie wife wrote to him nve times. Since ho returned he had been unable to trace his wife. There were no children. Corroborative evidence having been given a decreo nisi wns granted to rw moved absolute in three months.

WIGGINS v. WIGGINS. Mr. E. K. Kirkcaldie appeared for Pauline May AViggins, who sought ft mssohition of her marriage with William Henry Wiggins on the,ground of misconduct.' The parties were married on January 00, 1909, at Ohingaiti, and -lived at vnri-ms places, including AA T ellington. Ino respondent had gone' up-oountry _ ami. posed as a single man. Tho petitioner in looking through her husbands box discovered letters addressed to him by women—one was-to break off an alleged engagement, and another complained of the respondent having got her into trouble. The respondent, it was statwi, was co-respondent in a divorce case in . respect to which a decree nisi was granted. Certain admissions had been made by respondent at the hearing of this ense. A decree nisi was granted, to bo moved'nlxroluto in three months. WILSON v. WILSON. ■ Habitual drunkenness was -the ground of the petition of Lillian Stanley AVilson, who sought, a dissolution of her marjriage with John James Wilson, a seafnrin" man. Mr. Jackson appeared for the petitioner, who said that her marriage to the respondent took placo on July 3. 1905, at Wellington. There were no children. Respondent had been drinkin" heavily for a very long tune. In 1914 he went to the front and returned in 1917, but had not come near the petitioner Prior to hie departure with the Expeditionary Forco the petitioner had to loayo her husband on several occasions. Corroborative evidence was given, and a decreo nisi was granted, to bo moved absolute in three months, and the respondent was ordered to pay costs. GREEKS t. GREEKS. Mr. E. P. Bunny appeared for Eunice Maria May Greeks, who sought a dissolution of her marriage with facorge Percivnl Greeks on the ground of desertion. The marriago took plate on November 15, 1905, and tho prties) lived togethw imtil 1911, when the respondent went away and had not been seen or heard of since by tho petitioner. She inado inquiries through the police and a warrant was issued for his arrest, but nothing was discovered. A son of the petitioner, 15 years old, could not to-memb-r when his father left homo, and did not think he would know his father if he saw him. A decreo nisi was granted to be moved absolute in three months. BOWDEN t. BOWDEN. Misconduct was the ground of the petition of Alice Emma Bowden. who sought a dissolution of her marringo with Lawin Thomas Bowden. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for tho petitioner. Tho mar riarn took placo on November 20, 1911, and there were no children. The parties had' not lived together for the past two years. • Petitioner heard that respondent wns living with another woman in AVellington, although she hnd' been wable to locate them. The mother of the petitioner gave evidence in cojtotoration, and His Honour granted a decreo nsi, to be moved absolute in three months with costs against the respondent. WILSON v. WILSON. Mr. P. AV. Jackson appeared for Edith Annio AVilson, who petitioned for a dissolution of her marriago with William Harold AViison on the ground of misconduct. Thu marriage of tho parties took •placo at AVellington on August IC, 1915, and there was one child, which had einco died. Tho respondent left New Zealand for tho war in 1917 and returned in August last. AVhilo he was away petitioner wrote to him and received replies. The last letter written by respondent was from Codford, where he was in hospital. In this letter ho etsted that he was returning and that he had led a life which unfitted him for murrifd life.. The petitioner saw her husband in the street since his return and asked him if what he stated in tho letter was correct, ne admitted that ho had been suffering from' a certain disease. Tho father of the petitioner also gave evidence, and a decree nisi was granted, to be moved absolute in three months, with costs against the respondent. TOZER t. TOZER. Misconduct was tho ground of the petition of Annie Marion Tozer, for \ whom Mr. It. F. O'Leary appeared, who sought a dissolution of her marriage with Edward Alfred Tozer. Tho marriage of the pru'fn-s took place on March 25, 1911, and there were two children. The respondent went away Avith tho Expeditionary Force in 1910 and returned this year. The petitioner met him on Ins return, but he said that they could not live together for at least twelve months, and the petitioner subsequently discovered that ho wns suffering from a certain disease. The respondent admitted this. An uncle of the petitioner gave corroborative, evidence end a. decree nisi was granre'l, to be moved absolute in three months, and the petitioner was given interim custody of the children.

NULLITY OF MARRIAGE. William Watson Dickinson, a shepherd, petitioned for the nullity of his marrkigo with Lilian Florence Cecilia Phillips. Mr. E. J. Hallett appeared for the petitioner. In March, 1915, the petitioner went through a form of marriage with tho respondent, and soon after left for France, returning to Now Zealand in 1016. The petitioner since learned that at the date of the marriago tho respondent was a married woman ami was subsequently convicted of_ bigamy nnd sentenced to a term 6f imprisonment. Detective-Sergeant Rawle, wno prossc-utod tho respondent in tho rower Court, gave corroborative evidence, and Ilia Honour granted a decree absolute.