DIVORCE PROBLEM SETTLED

Hokitika Guardian, 10 June 1920, Page 1

DIVORCE PROBLEM SETTLED

' WELLINGTON, June 7. j An important judgment involving the (question whether a refusal of maritalrelationship constituted sufficient grounds for divorce was delivered in the Supreme Court on Saturday by Gis Honour Mr Justice Salniond. The case was that of Savage Corry Evans v. Jane Anne Evans, the husband petitioning for a dissolution of his marriage on the ground of deseition. The marriage took piaee in 1902, and aboiit six months after the birth of the youngest child in February, 1910, the respondent refused marital relationship with the petitioner and had •ever since persisted in this refusal. She gave no reason for -this refusal other than her dislike of men in general, and of her husband in particular. Since 1913 slio had persistently refused t 0 wear her wedding ring. On returning to New Zealand front the war m 1918, petitioner.attempted.to resume nonmil relations with liis. wife, but she mam- _ tained her refusal. Atfer quoting various authorities, His Honour held that the foregoing facts were tantamount o wilful desertion of the petitioner tor three years ,without just cause, and that petitioner was entitled to a ISS ° lution of his marriage. He according y made a decree nisi; with an interim older’ for the custody of the children by the petitioner, an order for a ecree absolute to be made at the end of three months.