TWO WIDOWS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1924, Page 8

TWO WIDOWS

CURTOUS QUESTION IN LAW.

(BY TELEORAPB.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) -. ' CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. ; A peculiar position has arisen in connection with the disposal of the estate of the late Fred, William Collins; : of Edgeware ; road, St. Albans, a baker. He left- a, s will bequeathing ,£lso:a year to "my wife." It is how found that he had two wives, one in. England and one in New.Zealand—one legal-wife, and one illegal one. Mr. Justice Adams, in the Supreme Court, was' asked to . -decide ■which will benefit under, the will. Collins married Charlotte Jane Smart in. the parish 'church of Bilston, Staffordshire; in 1883, 1 and lived, with her for about three years. Then he left her, and she ne.ver saw him again. She still lives at Bilston. He .came to -. New Zealand, and.in Christchurch, in lSß9,went through a marriage . ceremony with anlother woman, who appeared in the proceedings as Emily Sophia Collins, his widow. He often referred to her in Christchurch as "Mrs. Collins.". His will'was made shortly before he died iir April,- 1922..:: The Judge, wasv asked: whether, in the event of deciding in favour of the New Zealand'wife, the EngJish wife would be entitled to any provision under the Family Protection Act. Both women were represented; as well as several nephews and nieces, who are - beneficiaries in,the residue of the estate. Argument is proceeding.