SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 77, 28 March 1900, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

DIVORCE. [Tuesday, March 27th.—Before HisI Honour Mr. Justice Conolly, ' HU.Ii v. mix. This was the wife's petition for a divorce, on the ground of desertion and adultery. Mr. Weston (instructed by Mr. "Welsh, of Hawera) appeared for the petitioner. Respondent did not appear, either personally or by counsel. According to the statement of petitioner she was married to respondent, a labourer, at Manaia, in 1887, being then 18 years of age. She lived with him for 18 months, and was then obliged to leave him. She promised subsequently that she would return after six months' time if he behaved properly meanwhile, but before the period elapsed he went to live with another woman. She maintained herself by dressmaking. _To His Honour: It was ten years since she had seen or heard from the respondent. Constable Simpson deposed that the respondent was living near Normanby with a young woman, His Honour held that the desertion could not be upheld, but that a decree would be granted on the ground of adultery. Decree nisi with costs against the respondent on the lowest scale.

APPEAL. JAKES V. WILSON. The complainant, H. Jakes, appealed against the decision of Mr. R. L. Stanford, S.M., refusing to make an order of maintenance in respect of the illegitimate child of one Bessie Jakes, daughter of the appellant, on the ground that the defendant, Joseph Wilson, had not neglected nor failed to provide for the maintenance of the child in question. Mr. Malone appeared for the appellant and Mr. T. S. Weston for the respondent. The principal feature in the case was that the defendant had always been willing and anxious to marry Bessie Jakes, but complainant persistently refused his permission. His Honour characterised the case as a scandalous one and severely censured the complainant's conduct in refusing consent to the marriage. Appeal dis-1 missed, with costs £lO 10s.