ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3087, 18 May 1917, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

MAN'S BODY FOUND. j By Telegraph.—Press Association. Carterton, May 17. The body of a man named John Marsh, aged about 60, was found on a creek bank near Te Wharau yesterday. Indications point to an accident. FATALITY AT TEWHARAU. By Teleeraph—Special Correspondent. Masterton, May 17. At an inquest to-day on the body of John Marsh, who was found dead in a stream at Bank View, Tewharau, evidence showed that tho man's neck was fractured. Ho was attending to a floodgate in the watercourse, and it is presumed that ho was struck on the hoa/1 by a log. A verdict of accidental death was returned. A MARRIAGE ANNULLED : UNUSUAL SUIT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, May 17. An unusual suit for nullity of marriage between Arthur Edwin Feathei'stono (Mr. J. A. Beale) and ICate Fcatherstone, or Johnson, heard before Mr. Justico Cooper, was deckled this morning, when His Honour granted a decree. The grounds of tho petition were the respondent's alleged marriage to one John Bjorin Johnson, at Kaitaia, in 1306, and Ihe assumption that Johnson was alive and fighting in France when she went through tho ceremony of marriage with the petitioner in September, 1916. Hit) Honour commented on the divergence between the statements of the bride's name, birthplace, age, and parentage in tho two marriage certificates produced. It had been held, he said, that in a suit for nullity of marriage on the ground of bigamy, the bigamy charge must be proved as strictly as if respondent had been charged criminally with the offence. Regarding tho identification of the respondent with tho woman • who married Johnson in 1906, he considered that her identity had been sufficiently established. With regard to Johnson, two letters (produced) which he whs stated to have sent from France appeared to be genuino, and indicated that he was alive in November last. Further, his name had not appeared in any casualty list, and there was evidence that pay allotments had not been stopped, as they would be upon his death. "In my opinion, therefore," said His Honour, "I can properly find as a fact that Johnson was alive when respondent went through tho ceremony of marriage with petitioner, and that the charge of bigamy has been proved."