AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1930, Page 6

AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE

COMPLAINTS AGAINST ''HUSBAND.

AUCKLAND, March 20

The unhappy result of a war-time marriage, solemnised at Wanganui in October, 1917, was ventilated to-day when Wendeline Alice W niton petitioned for divorce against George Carter Walton on the ground of constructive desertion, she having left him on account of his alleged objectionable habits and failure on the part of respondent to maintain her.

Petitioner said that on the night of then 1 marriage respondent was drunk and had been beastly in his actions. His conduct continued bad on their return from Palmerston North. Shortly after he went into camp. She and her mother saw him off when the troopship left Wellington. He returned in August, 1919, from the war, and she told him she would not live with him again. She had not received any money from him since. He had several times called at her mother’s house and broken windows. He had also made serious accusations against petitionei, also assaulting herself and her father. She took proceeding for maintenance last

year. At this stage the petitioner fainted in the box, but was soon able to resume. The Judge said there was not sufficient evidence to hold that Wa 1 ton uas a sexual pervert, as stated early in

the case. There must have been some serious cause for this separation so early after marriage and it was not likely that the woman would have formed another attachment. Therefore the only reason could have been the conduct of the man. The fact that petitioner took her mother with her to Wellington to see Walton otf on the troopship showed also that relations were strained when they had been less than three weeks together. Her first experience of respondent and his conduct on bis return from the war seemed to strengthen the woman’s determination not to live with Walton again. Apart from that he had not paid her a penny. He had created such disturbances that she naturally refused to have anything to do with him.

“I might also add,” said his Honour “that, in the course of watching the various witnesses to judge the value of their evidence, I noticed respondent particularly when the petitioner fainted in the box. He seemed to see in the occasion a cause to laugh. That fact helped me to decide the class of man he is.”

A decree nisi, to he made absolute in three months, was granted.