26 Jan 1977
On the evidence the court found the petitioner's complaints insufficiently substantiated and primarily attributable to the petitioner's neurotic and violent temperament rather than grave misconduct by the respondent; therefore the marriage had not irretrievably broken down due to the respondent's conduct and the petition for divorce was dismissed.
14 Feb 1973
On the balance of probabilities the petitioner proved that the main cause of the marriage breakdown was the wife's behaviour constituting conduct under s.11A(1)(b), and therefore a decree nisi should be granted.
22 May 1972
The Court found the Respondent's absence amounted to desertion because she left without lawful justification in the context of their relationship and the Petitioner's conduct did not reach the threshold of cruelty or constructive desertion; accordingly a decree was granted for the Petitioner for desertion and interim maintenance was awarded to the Respondent.
4 Jul 1970
The court held that the respondent's persistent drug addiction combined with refusal of sexual intercourse, absence of maintenance, a prior assault, repeated imprisonments and the petitioner's reasonable apprehension for her health constituted cruelty; those facts also made cohabitation virtually impossible and amounted to constructive desertion, justifying a decree nisi.
27 Feb 1970
Full Court held the Deputy Registrar erred by allowing the trial judge's findings (which were overturned) to influence assessment of conduct; having regard to s.28(1) (wife's fortune, husband's ability, conduct) and local conditions the court concluded a single lump-sum award of HK$1,250,000 was reasonable and ordered payment (less sums already paid).
18 Sept 1968
Even if some pre‑separation conduct could arguably amount to cruelty, the petitioner condoned that conduct by returning to cohabitation; the subsequent conduct after return was insufficient to revive the earlier offence and the evidence fell short of proving wilful neglect to maintain or injury to health, therefore the appeal to grant a divorce on grounds of cruelty must be dismissed.
27 Feb 1968
The appeal is allowed because the husband's cumulative conduct — violent assaults, repeated degrading taunts indicating he regarded women as purchasable, persistent evenings away and conduct culminating in the car incident — amounted to conduct that rendered continued cohabitation virtually impossible and amounted to constructive desertion and cruelty; therefore the husband's decree nisi is rescinded and the wife is entitled to a decree nisi on cruelty and constructive desertion.