MET ON TRAIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 238, 8 October 1942, Page 6

MET ON TRAIN

GIRL ANI) SAILOR UNUSUAL BIGAMY "I draw I lie inference from the report lh.it they went through the Imm i.f" marriage to enable her to obtain a wife's allowance from the navy authorities and that he also allowed Her ;,i draw her husband's army abutment and the army allowanee I,i r a wile, said Mr. Justice l-'air. when Donald Kdgar Alexander F-'rasei. naval ship s steward, aged 24 years, and Mrs Lesley .Joyce Miteliell aged is years, came before him to-d. y lor -entenee as parties to a bigamous marriage in unusual circumstance-.

Mr. K deal. I'm the Crown, said he •'id not know ii the double allowance was the .-,,'e reason for the parties going through the inrm of marriage, bin ii was one of the reasons. He was informed, however, that Kraser was being charged by the na\'a! authorities in respect lo the money paid, and it would have to be repaid h\ him.

The prisoner- had nothing to add te their admission of the otl'encc.

Ilis Honor said l-'raser met this young woman on a train journey from JMmedin. knowing she was on her way to join her husband in camp near Wellington. She had been married in December. Kill, a month or two previously. l-'raser knew this, and persuaded her. and 11,1 doubt sine wa.- not unwilling.,to go to Auckland instead, and they lived as man and wile, lie went tliroulrh tile form of marriage with her in April this year. The object was to enable her to draw a wife's allowance from the navv aii I horit ie-.. which could not be obtained without the production of a marriage certificate. lie also allowed her lo receive her husband's allotment Irom the army authorities, ami the allowance as a soldier s wife In tiie circumstances the least sentence the Court could impose on I'Vaser was one of I months' imprisonment.

Mrs. M itcliel Is < < >nt lint. continued his Honor. reflected mi (Teilit on her judgment «h- her character. but in view ill her south, as well ;is her condition. she would he admitted to probation for three sears. A special condition was that m thr prohationarv period her place of residence should be under su|utvision. I lis Honor explained that Mrs. Mitchell might live with her own parents or (''l aser's parents so long as the conditions and her conduct were satisfactory, and there would lie no objection l>v the Court to her marriage and iiving with I'raser in due course