FALSE DECLARATION OF AGE

Evening Star, Issue 20591, 17 September 1930, Page 9

FALSE DECLARATION OF AGE

YOUNG MAH SENTENCED A- young man just on twenty-one years of age appeared before His Honour Mr Justice Kennedy in the Supreme Court this morning for sen-: fence on a charge of. making a false declaration under the Marriage - Act ■ of 1908. - ■ Mr C. J. L, White, who appeared for 'the accused, said there . were some peculiar features about the case. There appeared to be no motive for the commission of the offence, as the parents of both parties were quite willing that the marriage should take place. At first the young fellow honestly believed that the girl was over twenty-one. When he went to the registrar’s and ! , found that a declaration of her age had to he made, he evidently thought that it was too much trouble to get her parents’ consent, and he simply made the declaration. The girl’s mother had written to counsel stating that there was no earthly reason why the offence should have been committed, as her consent would have been forthcoming without any difficulty. Mr White further stated that nothing would have been heard of the matter had someone not sent an anonymous letter to the police. When questioned the young fellow was quite frank,: and told what had occurred. ■ No harm had been done, and he suggested that the fact of the lad hairing been before the Supreme .Court was sufficient punishment.' In view of the circumstances Mr White asked that the name should he suppressed. Misfortune had continued to follow the accused, as he had been out of work for three or four weeks since he was married, and had only recently obtained casual employment. His Honour ordered the prisoner to come Up for sentence if called upon any time within the nest two years. His probationary license would include, in addition to the usual statutory conditions, the special coildition that ha paid the costs of the prosecution (£1 Is) by weekly instalments of 3s. , _ His Honour made an order prohibitiug the publication of the name,.