UNDER TWO FLAGS

Southland Times, Issue 25360, 12 August 1935, Page 8

UNDER TWO FLAGS

PROBLEM OF NATIONALITY. Jersey magistrates were set a curious problem recently by a man who has presumably, two nationalities. Before them appeared a French serving soldier, Francis Oliver Le Sech, aged 21, native of the parish of St. Mary, Jersey, and son of French parents, who was charged with neglecting his wife and two children. He was arrested when about io leave by the Southern Railway steamer Brittany for St. Malo, on the expiration of his furlough. Le Sech explained that he had left a weekly allowance to his wife which was paid to the French Consul at Jersey. His wife declined to accept it, and wished the consul to pay the creche authorities where the children had been placed, but this he declined to do. Mr H. Guenet, the French ViceConsul, stated the case was a very difficult one. From the French point of view Le Sech, under the law governing the birth of French subjects abroad was French and .owed military service. An allowance had been made but the wife did not draw the money. She had disappeared since March. A magistrate asked whether, as in French law Le Sech was French though born in Jersey, the authorities could send the wife and children back to France. Mr Guenet replied that the children were English, but it was an unfortunate marriage. The Bench observed that as Le Sech presumably had two nationalities they did not wish to punish him, but he had a responsibility. The case will be referred to the French authorities.