CLERGYMAN’S DIVORCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1960, 3 April 1919, Page 4

CLERGYMAN’S DIVORCE.

A divorce case of interest to Aucklanders was heard in Loudon in February (writes the Auckland Herald’s London correspondent), when Alx- Justice Hill granted a decree nisi on the petition of the Rev. William Henry Edged, formerly of Kohukohu, of St. Sepulchre’s, Auckland, and of the Melanesian Mission. Since the end of 191(i Mr Edged has been serving as a naval chaplain, first with the cruiser Gibraltar, and later in the depot ship Hecla. lie alleged misconduct of his wife, Dorothy S. J. Edged, with a man unknown. The suit was not defended.

Counsel for petitioner said that fhe marriage took place in Yew Zealand, in February, 1910. In 1913 the wife admitted that she was in love with another man, and petitioner accidentally discovered that she had been writing to a man who had since been killed at Gallipoli. In 1916, owing to Ids wife's conduct, he resigned his benefice, and they came to England. In October, 1917, he joined HALS. Hecla, and afterwards his wife wrote to him saying that she went to dinner at the Trocadero restaurant with a woman friend and two men. The letter continued: —

“For some time previously I had entirely given up having wine at dinner, but that night I took some, just an ordinary Moselle or light champagne, about a glass and alialf 1 remembered no-

thing from the time we left the ‘Tree’ until 2.30 a.m., when I found myself in my own Hat, very much confused, and this man still with me. It appears that the wine must have got into my head or been drugged. It is a common thing in London. I could have killed him. 1 made him go, and have never scam him since. His name was amongst the killed in the casually list last mouth. . . .

1 beg you not to judge me harshly.” Petitioner telegraphed to Ids wife: “I understand. God bless you. Peace and love.” But afterwards he found love-letters signed “Ted" and “Gordon.” He accordingly took divorce procoed ings.