WEDDING DAY SEPARATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 March 1920, Page 2

WEDDING DAY SEPARATION.

STRANGE TALE IN DIVORCE COURT. Parted on their wedding day. and never since reunited. That was the gist of a curious story related at the Auckland Supreme Court in the undefended divorce action. The petitioner was Mrs. Maida IJufaur McKhmon, and the respondent was John Tliomoe McKinnon. The ground of the petition was desertion. The petitioner said that her marriage tool; place at Wellington in IDU7. In accordance with a previous arrangement, she left the same afternoon to visit her parents in Sydney, leaving her husband behind and taking with her a little boy of live, her husband's child by a former marriage. It had been agreed that her husband should follow her, but he failed to do so, and for more than a year he oftered excuses. He sent her about £9O in the course of twelve months. Mr. Justice Sim: Why didn't you conio back to New Zealand? The petitioner said that she had no money, and her husband never asked her to come. She had been supporting herself and her stepson, for a number of years past She kept up a correspondence with her husband until about twelve months ago. She would have taken divorce proceedings before but for lack of means. Her husband was her first cousin, and she had known him from childhood. James Joseph Butler, solicitor, stated that he entered an appearance on behalf of the respondent, who now resides at Kohukohu. He produced a letter from the respondent, admitting desertion. The letter stated, "I have never lived with her, and T do sot desire to 'do so." Jfr. Butler added Unit he had known the respondent for seven or eight years, and, had never heard him speak of his wife. He w»s not aware that h 0 was married. ■His Honor, remarking that the case was a strange one, said that the petitioner had proved desertion. He granted a decee nisi, with costs.