ALLEGED MOCK MARRIAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 1514, 9 November 1912, Page 5

ALLEGED MOCK MARRIAGE

J DENIED BY THE MAN. UNUSUAL MAINTENANCE CASE. Some extraordinary facts were disclosed during the hearing of a maintenance case before Mr. O. C. Kettle, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. A variation of an order was sought by Samuel' Cooper Wright, the defendant being a 'woman who since 1900 had passed as his wife. The stoi-y was briefly related by Mr. Singer, who appeared for Wright, the defendant not being represented by counsel. Wright, lie said, was married about. 25 years ago, but after some ye (ire, he and his wife drifted apart. Ho had afterwards met tho defendant, and they had lived together, passing' as man and wife. The defendant had borne him three children. Eventually, his real wife appeared onco again, and a reconciliation had followed. Wright was tho eon of a wealthy merchant who had recently died in England, leaving a fortune of about £80,000. He would have benefited tinder the will, but for the that the defendant had written certain letters which had caused the parent to disinherit his son. At the present time Wright was practically penniless, but was looking forward shortly to a position for himself and his wife, as married couple on a farm. Ho would like to have the custody of the three children, as he felt that lie could do something towards securing them a decent education. In 1910, the defendant had obtained a maintenance order against Wright, for the paymentof 31s Gd per week, tho order being afterwards Teduced to 22s 6d. At the present, time ho was willing to keep up payments, but the defendant was not his wife, and he desired a variation of the Order.

In the course of her evidence, the defendant stated that a marriage ceremony had been gone through between her supposed husband and herself. l'"or over a year eho had believed that they were really man and wife. They had met in a country town, and Wright had como to Auckland, where afterwards she had joined him. He had taken her to a house in Vincent-street, and here, as sho believed, a marriage ceremony was performed by a man in clerical- garb. He was stated to be the Rev. Branker, a visitor who was touring tho Dominion. Notices regarding the marriage had, asserted the defendant, been inserted in. Nelson and Wellington papers. She expressed the opinion that they had been sent to those papers (she had relatives in Nelson) by Wright. The evidence of the defendant regarding the alleged marriage ceremony by the Rev. Branker in Vincent-street was flatly repudiated by Wright. Interrogated regarding tho notices in the Southern papers, ho stated that he had no recollection whatever of having been responsible for their insertion. Tho magistrate expressed little doubt as to tho fact of the defendant not being Wright's wife. Tho variation applied for would bo granted, the defendant being given the custody of the three children. His Worship remarked that something should be done to fit the children for tho i battle of life. He stated that he would probably communicate with the plaintiff's relatives at Home, with the idea of seeing if they could render any assistance.