Palmerston Divorce Court.

Manawatu Herald, 4 October 1904, Page 2

Palmerston Divorce Court.

A FOXTON CASE. Before His Honor, Mr JilStice Cooper, the following case was heard at Palmerston North sittings Agnes Maria Burston (Mr Innes) v. James Burstoil. Petitioner in her evidence stated she was married to the respondent at Nelson in 1894. They lived in Nelson at first and then went to Richmond, where they lived tor six years. They went to Foxton about three years ago. Shortly after marriage petiti’tioner discovered that her husband had been previously married and divorced. Her husband was the son of a brewer and drank very heavily. The whole of his wages were spent in di'ink and petitioner had to take in sewing to support herself. She still kept herself and frequently, while they were living together, had to support her husband. He had struck her several times and frequently she had to seek refuge in barns, sheds, and at the neighbours. She left her husband eighteen months ago. . Mathilde Collins, a resident ot Foxton, gave evidence relative to the respondent’s drinking habits and cruelty to his wife in Foxton. Louisa M. Madden, a sister of the petitioner, gave corroborative evidence as to respondent’s cruelty and drunken habits. She was aware her sister had been turned out of her house on several occasions and once petitioner had been chased by respondent with a piece ot lighted wood. Eva Cresswell, a former resident of Richmond, but now in Palmerston, said she had seen petitioner cruelly ill-treated by respondent. Petitioner had taken refuge in her (witness’) father’s barn on one or two occasions. A, J. Hogg, brother of the petitioner, also deposed to the drinking habits of the respondent and his cruelty to petitioner. A decree nisi was granted, with costs on the lowest scale and custody of the child. Order to be made absolute in three months.