A BRIDEGROOM FINED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 16, 20 January 1926, Page 9

A BRIDEGROOM FINED.

- . - GAVE THE WRONG AGE. JUDGE TAKES LENIENT HEW. The first troublous episode in the j matrimonial venture of the eighteen-year-old Aucklander who married a girl j of 16 some three months ago. drew to i a close at the Supreme Court this morn- i ing. when the couple faced Mr. Justice Stringer, having pleaded guilty to making a false declaration under the Marriage Act. The pair, unrepresented, were dumb. The Judge turned to the Crown Prosecutor for assistance. "I understand that no real a*nd proper biame attaches to these young people." ! said Mr. V. R. Meredith. "Chief Detec-1 live Cummings states that they are : getting on quite happily. No moral | wrong has been done." The facts of the case were that the boy had married the girl because she j had intended leaving home, owing to j unhappiness. He thought that it would he best for him to give her protection j by marriage. Fearing to ask consent I of the parents, the couple gave their ages to the Registrar of Marriages as 22 and 21. They left Auckland, and returned after an absence of some weeks. to be reconciled to the girl's people, with whom they are now living. Mr. Justice Stringer agreed with the Probation Officer that in the <.r?um- :- stances it was a comparatively venial offence. "Possibly, had you had more knowledge of the law. you would have known ! that where, for any reason, a parent refuses to give consent, a Judge ».f :h= I Court could act in that capacity and give consent. However, you sought a different method. No harm has'" been I done to anyone, except that you are both '' exceptionally young to start' out in married life. However, that is done now J and can't be helped. You have put the 1 Crown to some little expense, of course, i and for that I am going to fine you 40/. The girl will be discharged."' The judge thought it a reasonable case ; in which to order suppression of the names.