An Extraordinary Divorce Case.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 89, 19 April 1904, Page 4

An Extraordinary Divorce Case.

FLIGHT TO NEW ZEALAND AND SURREPTITIOUS RETURN. (N.Z. Herald Correspondent.) LONDON, March 12. A divorce case, remarkable in more senses than one, came before Sir Justice Gorell Barnes in the Divorce Division of the High Court on Tuesday. It was tlie cafie of Jlollingshead v. Holiingshead, and was a suit of Mrs Elizabeth llollingsbead, living at Cardiff, lor: a dissolution -of her marriage with ,the respondent, Air Arthur Hollingshcad, a fanner, formerly of St. Mellon's. Monmouthshire, and afterward of New Zealand, but now of Brcoksidu Farm, Osgathorpc, near Loughborough, in Leicestershire, on the giounci of his desertion and misconduct. The suit was undefended.

Mr. Wilcock appeared for the petitioner, and. he explained that (.he marriage took place on April 10, 1892, at Ebenezer Chapel, Cardiff, and there was one child. After the marriage a sister of the petitioner, .Mary Ami Thomas, came to stay with them, ami she seemed to have been courted by a brother of Lire respondent. On the 10th of May, 1805, the respondent sent liis wife into Cardiff on some pretext, saying that he would meet her there. He, however, failed to do so, and on her return home the petitioner found her husband and her sister had left together, and subscojuenUy she discovered that they were in New Zealand. .Respondent's brother, Mr Cuthbcrt Jlollingshead, went out there, and then extraordinary letters were received by the petitioner. On.' was from respondent, and was in the handwriting of her sister, ; in which the respondent says: "1 want you to get a divorce from me so that 1 can marry .Mary. ... J have two children by Mary." Then there was a suggestion i'u another letter that the petitioner should gj out to her huwband, and then he would give up her bister to Cuthlierl, his brother. She declined lo go out under any such conditions. In January, ]'.)()•>, she unexpectedly met her husband in Cardiff, and she subsequently learned that Iter sister Mary had also returned, and that [respondent and she were living to--1 get her, at lirooksidu Farm, Osga'thorpe, near LougMmrough, Leicestershire. The petitioner ga.ve evidence bearing out her counsel's statement. Mill. 11. Ifowell, clerk lo petitioner's solicitor, spoke to serving the respondent with divorce proceedings at the farm in Leicestershire, .where he found him living with the sister of tbepelilioner. A decree nisi, will) costs, lva , s granted.