THE SETTLING

NZ Truth, Issue 1179, 5 July 1928, Page 9

THE SETTLING

» — : Currie Was Too Hot In Mangapeehi (From "N.Z. Truth's" Te Kuiti Rep.) A pretty kettle of fish it seemed to be and it might have all been fried and frazzled m open court if the co-respondent at the last moment had not withdrawn his defence and offered to pay certain expenses, the costs of the divorce, and maintenance for the child. W/ILLIAM CURRIE came out to New ■ Zealand from the Emerald Isle on .an assisted passage about five years ago. He secured a job with the Railway Department on surface work, and m March, 1926, he was transferred to Mangapeehi, m the King Country. He boarded at Brennan's boardinghouse, a five or six-roomed residence with several small outside sleeping places near the railway line. But William had not been there very long before complications began to arise owing to his fondness for Mrs. Brennan's company. There were frequent rows m the Brennan home and finally, Mrs. Brennan left her husband for a time and went to a nursing home at Te Kuiti. When she returned to her husband, he showed decided annoyance when he received an account from the nursing home, and he promptly and firmly refused to pay it. HE V*/ASN'T VERY PLEASED • It was also alleged that the things he said to his wife were none too kindly. It was Currie who finally paid the nursing home account. Bill had, m the meantime, been transferred to Waimea and while there he received a communication from Mrs. Brennan which caused him.to hurry to the lady's side. She was then again m Te Kuiti, where she was staying at a private boarding-house. He arrived somewhat late at night and when the old lady who kept the house took a cup of tea. into Mrs. Brennan's room next morning, she discovered that another boarder m the person of Bill Currie had taken up his abode there during the night. John Stephen Brennan, the husband, naturally had his suspicions of Currie and when he discovered that his wife was about to become the mother of a child of which he himself could, disclaim paternity, he considered he had reasonable ground for divorce proceedings. -• , He joined Currie as co-respond- " ent and asked; for £300 damages against him as 'the price at which he assessed the disruption of his domestic happiness. The case came on for hearing at Hamilton last week and Currie who, ih the meantime, had himself joined the ranks of the benedicts, filed a defence. A jury was empanelled and the case called just before lunch one day, when Curries counsel said his client had not then arrived, . but would be m court after lunch. , On the resumption m the afternoon, Curries counsel announced that during the adjournment he had been shown certain letters by Lawyer Vernon, counsel for petitioner, which satisfied him beyond all doubt that the allegations contained m the, petition were substantially correct. He also announced that it had been agreed between the parties that Currie should withdraw his defence and that he had agreed to pay the confinement expenses m connection 'with Mrs. Brennan's unborn child and to maintain the child after birth. He was also to pay the costs of the action. . In consideration of this, Brennan - had agreed to withdraw his claim for damages. After formal' evidence had been given by the husband and evidence of having found Mrs.: Brennan and Currie m a compromising position by the old lady at whose house Mrs. Brennan stayed rh Te Kuiti, a decree nisi was granted, with costs against respondent. The. husband was given custody of the five children.