A LAD AND A LASS

NZ Truth, Issue 818, 16 July 1921, Page 6

A LAD AND A LASS

An Auckland "Affaire D' Amour" Love Tells a Lie and Lands a License, There :was something of a "movie" flavor m fhe marriage of a young girl to a lad . of seventeen years, which was mentioned to Mr. Justice • Adams at the Supreme Court, at Auckland, last week. " The hero m.,, the drama was John Albert Roberts, whose attentions to a Dargaville lass were objected to b 1 " her parents. Then [one day the young fellow received a note saying, "Jack, I .have got till Saturday to leave you or leave horn«." With a quickness of thought" w,hich would do credit to Dug. Fairbanks, Jack bustled and, by pitching a tale to the Registrar that he •was; 22; l ana his girl 21, secured the • necessary license, and they wer« married.: But the little "fib" he had whispered to the Registrar soon came out, and "Jack," or John Albert Roberts was duly landed, and - admitted making - false statements. ... • When brought up for sentence, Mr. Moody, on behalf of the lad, said that possibly the*love for the girl had sug- . gested to the lad to take out the license and be married- Counsel said he thought it would .be sever© to send the lad to gaol, the effect of which would be degrading, and ihe suggested that the case was one for the imposition of a fine. . The Crown . Prosecutor, Mr. Mere* dith, said that' the youth ;had convictions for theft and this, was probably known to the parents', of the girl. Ho was told to keep away from the house and leave the' girl ajdne, but although he knew the girl's parents woiild not consent, to -the marriage he made a false declaration and then married Qie'r. ilf such offences were to be treated rlightly, young girls might be lured into marriage with undesirable persons if it was understood no serious trouble would follow the making of a false declaration. , His Honor said he would allow the .prisoner to stand down till Friday. On Friday when Roberts was brought ,up to be dealt with, the report of the junU-* probation officer was that the conduct of the young man, « who waa put on license from the Weraroa, Training Farm, had been exemplary. Mr. Moody said the accused' was liv- ; ing with his young wife and they were quite happy. His Honor said that such offences were serious and struck at the root of our social life. , However he did not intend^ to impose imprisonment, but - would fine the prisoner .£2s' and costs, the amount to be" paid at the rate of £ 2 monthly. /