STEVENS DIVORCE CASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2735, 20 May 1924, Page 3

STEVENS DIVORCE CASE.

PETITIONER SUCCEEDS

After a hearing extending over three full days, the Stevens divorce case was concluded before his Honour Sir John Salmond at f'aluierstou Supreme Court on Saturday. The case was one in which Percy Philip Stevens, auctioneer of Fielding, sought a dissolution of his marriage to Alice J. Stevens on the grounds of alleged adultery, and that the parties had been separated for more than three years. John 0. Blackwell, a taxi-driver of Marlon, and Neil Whisker, railway employee of Ifa.milton and previously of Palmerston North, were cited as co-respondents. In his petition Stevens alleged ■that respondent had at divers times during March, April and May, 1923, committed adultery with Blackwell aud that' during June, July and August had committed a similar offence with Whisker. The defence was a denial of the allegations of adultery and counter alleged that the cause of separation had been the wrongful acts and misconduct of petitioner. Mr Cooper appealed for the petitioner, and Mr Ongley 'for the two co respondents. In summing up His Honour reminded the jurymen that adultery was seldom proved by direct evidence, but was usually proved upon the supicious relationship of one party with another, and by taking into account to a certain extent, human nature. It was almost impossible, in the usual run of divorce, cases, to place a huger upon a specific date upon which adultery had been committed, and it was not necessary to go to that extent in this occasion, the question at issue being as to whether adultery had been committed during the mouths mentioned in the petition. “On one side or other,” continued his Honour, "you have a case of unblushing'lies, and it rests with you as to which side is speaking the truth. Each side is equally emphatic in its avowal of the facts. Your responsibility is to judge between them.

“As men of the world you will re cognise the circumstances attending this case. Many a man might think he was under a higher moral obligation to deny an allegation of this sort for the honour of the woman involved, but the actual denial is nothing for to defend the case, the respondent must deny. S After a retirement olforty minutes The jury returned with a verdict ior the petitioner covering the allegations in regaid to both cu-respon-deuta. -

His Honour, accordingly gave judgment for petitioner.