LAW REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2719, 14 March 1916, Page 9

LAW REPORTS

SUPREME COURT

A BIGAMOUS MARRIAGE

TWO PRISONERS SENTENCED

, Two prisoners, Rhoda Randall Davidson and Gordon Stuart Mason, who pleaded guilty to a charge of bigamy m the Jiagistrato's Court in Wellington last week, appeared for scntenco in tho\ Supreme Court yesterday, before His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman.

Mr. P. W. Jackson, who appeared for both prisoners, addressed His Honour lii'st on the case of th'j woman. Counsel declared that her marriago with Davidson had been unhappy, and sho was lod to 'believe by Davidson and a. Mrs. Woolcott that the union was not legal beeauso sho had been married under a wrong name, llev fault was that sho ,liatl not made sufficient inquiry, but no great harm had been done by her crime, and both sho and the malo accused had pleaded l guilty and saved tile Court a good deal ot trouble. 'Mason appeared to be simple and inoxpcrieiicod, but otherwise was decent and 'respectable. He had had twelve mouths' military training at Trentham, and had been discharged as medically unfit on account of varicose veins. Mrs. Davidson was now in a very weak state of health, and counsel asked His Honour to extend leniency to both prisoners. Mr. V. 11. Meredith', of the Crown Law Office, appearing the 'Crown, informed tho Court that Mason had no criminal record. Counsel agreed with what Mr. Jackson had said about tho femalo prisoner. His Honour, in passing sentence, said' there was no question' about tho l'aot. that Mason knew he was doing wrong when ho married tlio woman. His Honour had to vindicate tho law, which bound society together—that law which obliged everyone to treat tho marriago tio as sacred. Mason would bo sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. As to tho female prisoner, her condition would lead His Honour to take a '.oiiieiit view. She would have to go to the Salvation Army Homo and remain thero until 6ho was in a bottor state of 11' there was any adverse report on her behaviour shs would! he liable to bo brought ♦before the Court for sentence, but if she behaved herself respectably oho would hear no more about it. CIVIL BUSINESS. HEATH V. KNIGHT. Leal argument was heard by Hia Honour Mr. . Justice Chapman yesterday in the civil action I. J. B-.Heath v. Dr. C. Prendergast Knight. _ in which the jury awarded the plamtilt £625 damages for injuries resulting from a. collision between defendants motor-car and plaintiff's motor-cycle. Mr. M. Myers appeared for tho plaintiff, while Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C. with him Mr. P. H. Putnam, appeared for the defendant. , . Decision'on the law points raised was reserved. ' *