AN UNHAPPY QUARTET

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 278, 18 August 1921, Page 9

AN UNHAPPY QUARTET

ERRING HUSBAND AND FOOLISH WIFE DECREE NISI FOR PETITIONER Two wives, two husbands, a visit to Wanganui, and a picture show incident, were features of on undefended divorce case hoard by His Honour Mr. Justice Reed, in the Supreme Court yesterday, when Ellie Mureka Amelia Rider (Mr. Jackson) asked that her marriage with John Neil Reardon Rider should bo dissolved on the ground of his alleged adultery. Giving evidence, tho petitioner said that she was married in 1906, living with hoc husband in Wellington and at Foxton. She alleged that impropriety had taken place on a Sunday evening, when the respondent, as a volunteer fireman, "should liave been at a fire.” Mi’s. Graham, whose husband was a friend of respondent and of petitioner, was the person with whom the adultery was alleged to have been committed. ’ On another date, tho respondent, as president of tho Foxton, Rifle Club, arranged an excursion to Wanganui, at which petitioner and Mr. and Mrs- Graham were present. On this occasion, alleged petitioner, the four went to a picture show, and Rider and Mrs. Graham left, thinking .they were unobserved. The pair did not return to the hotel until after midnight. The Judge: What kind of man is Graham? Why didn’t he do something to Rider? Was Rider a big man, or what ? Petitioner: Graham had a bad arm. He couldn’t even play tennis. Continuing, petitioner said that her husband had paid Mrs. Graham’s bill at the hotel, leaving his wife to pay her own. Later, Rider bought Mrs. Graham a ring, and said that if he got a divorce ■he would marry li"i’. Then petitioner applied for restitution of conjugal rights, as respondent had left her, but the order had not been complied with. “Rider even sold my furniture and took my bicycle from me,” said the petitioner. A private detective, Andrew Free, said that ho had seen Mrs. Graham go into Rider’s boot shop on the night of April 23 last. She had remained there for about half an hour, and then Rider had gone to her house. The next night saw a repetition of the performance, although Rider left Mrs. Graham’s house a few minutes after midnight, and on the following night Rider did not leave until after midnight. Graham was not living at the house, but was staying at a boardinghouse: Graham had previously taken proceedings against his wife, in Palmerston North. A decree nisi was granted, with costs on the highest scale. There’ was some discussion ns to alimony, the hearing of the application being adjourned until 10 a.m. to-day.