A PECULIAR CASE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3174, 27 August 1917, Page 4

A PECULIAR CASE

A RESERVIST'S MARITAL PUZZLE.

(B.v Teleffraoh—Soccial Correspondent.! Wanganul, August 25. A case of peculiar interest i 6 being in j vestigated by the Taranaki police, in. view of developments arising oat of a charge against n reservist in tho First ■Division for not -making application for enrolment under the Military Service Act. The point of the case was tlio confusion which had arisen owing to conflicting statements made by the defendant as to his marital condition in October, 1915. Ho set forth in his registration card that he was married in Juno last. He told the registrar of marriages _ at Opnnake. ■ that ho was divorced, and had applied for leave to ve-marry, which was refused for want of sufficient evidenco of divorce. In Hawera a day or two after he made a statutory declaration that ho was a bachelor, and got a certificate and was married. Defendant now jravo evidence that he was married in England, and named the woman, Hid nlace. and other circumstances, but said bis -wife would not come out to New Zealand. and subsequently bo ranld hear nollunir of lier, ann -was unable to ?ret tlio divorce he wanted. Ho was specially anxious for a. reason given to re-marry, and at Hawera did_ not say anything about bis previous -rcifc. The Police said the alternative position of defendant was either th."t he had evaded military <lutv in the First Division bv sayin<r he was married. or tnafc be lmd committed Wsnmv. The mntteiwas adjourned f ft r. a wppV to permit of further inquiry bein? made.