DISGRACEFUL MARRIAGE CASE. A Girl of Twelve Forced into Wedlock at Auckland. [BY TELEGRAPH-PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Saturday.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 16, 19 April 1884, Page 3

DISGRACEFUL MARRIAGE CASE. A Girl of Twelve Forced into Wedlock at Auckland. [BY TELEGRAPH-PRESS ASSOCIATION .] Wellington, Saturday.

A most extraordinary case was commenced at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning. It came up in the simple form of an alleged breach of the Marriage Act. Alice Lynch, a woman of apparently 30 years of age, was charged with having, on the 23rd of November. 1881, at Auckland, wilfully made a false statement touching the ace and parentage of one Emma May Howell, contrary to the provisions of the Marriage Act. Mrs Lynch, who is not represented by counsel, is also known as Mrs Howell, alias Trenian, alias Baxter. Mr Shaw appeared for the prosecution, and the circumstances undei* which the proceedings wore instituted will be best understood from that gentleman's opening, which was as follows : — Your Worship?, the evidence I have to offer is of a somewhat peculiar nature. This lady (indicating the prisoner) is charged with practically making a false declaration for the purpose of procuring the marriage of her infant siaier to a man named Monckton, with whom she (the prisoner) Avas then cohabiting. We propose to provo to the Court that the prisoner's sister, Emma Mary Howell, at the time she went through the marriage form, was only twelve years and two months old. According to tho certificate of birth which I have in my hand, she was born on the 27th of September, ISG9, at Napier ; and we will also prove that her mother left the colony, and that her father, we understand, is dead, The infant sister, at the time of the marriage, Avas living with the prisoner, m*lio had deserted her own husband, and was cohabiting with Monckton, who had deserted his wife. In order to keep this little girl in the house, Monckton conceived a plan that he should go through the form of marriage with her, though living at the time with the girl's sister. For this purpose the parties presented themselves before the Kegistrar of Marriages at Auckland, in November, ISSI, when the little girl was offered in marriage to Monckton by the prisoner. To accomplish the marriage the prisoner assumed the role of mother, and she signed the certificate giving her consent to her sister's marriage, falsely stating her age, moreover, to be over fifteen years. Therefore the Registrar duly solemnised the marriage. The girl was aiterwards brought back to her sister's house, and remained there, Monckton living alternately with one sister and the other, dividing his attentions between the two sisters. The young girl, who is the prosecutrix in this case, will further prove that some time after this pretended marriage her sistor and the man Monckton endeavoured to induce her to become a prostitute, and that fearing violence on her refusal, she fled to Sydney. We will show that the elder couple then swore a false information, charging her with larceny, and upon that sho was apprehended in Sydney and brought back here, and the charge has since turned out to be untrue. She took refuge in Wellington, and her whereabouts was discovered by threatening letter*, stating that Monckton and the prisoner would arrest her if she did not consent to carry on the business of a prostitute in the city of Chriatchurch, The present summons was served on the prisoner, and a summons has also been issued against Monckton. The prisoner then bft Cliristchurch secretly under a false name by the steamship Wakatipu, from Lyttelton on her way to Sydney, to escape this charge. The police had timely information of the fact, and she was arrested on her arrival in the Wakatipu on Thursday arternoon. When arrested she admitted having made a false declaration as to her sister's age, and said she "thought it was for the child's good. " This morning I only intend to prove the woman's arrest and admission, and then ask for an adjournment of the case for a week, a good deal of evidence having to be collected, and the Kegistrar having to be brought down from Auckland. Detective Campbell was called to prove the arrest. The case vv f ?s then adjourned till Saturday next. The Bench allowed bail in prisoner's own recognisances of £200 and two sureties of £100 each. The girl Howell, who is now about 15 years of age, is at present residing with her sister, Mrs Lovell, whose husband keeps a barber's shop in Courtenay Place. The man Monckton, against whom a similar summons has been issued, is Charles Henry Monckton, formerly proprietor of a photographic gallery in Manners-street. The prisoner Lynch is alleged to have been married twice, once at Opunake, and the second time to a jockey now in Sydney, while her first husband wa? alive. It is likely that further revelations of a similar extraordinary character will be made as the case proceeds.

The land and estate agency firms of Gillies, Street, and Hislop, and Connel and Moodio, Dunedin, have formed themselves into a joint stock company, to be called the Perpetual Trustees and Agency Company, with a capital of £125,000 in 25,000 shares of £5 each. They intend seeking Parliamentary powers. . The Blue Ribbon crusade in Melbourne has had marvellous results. Seventeen meetings were held, at which 68,000 persons were present, and during the "mission" 26,773 ribbons More donned, and 13,444 pledges signed. < § The Chicago " Inter-Ocean is printing a nominal list of eligible bachelors, with a minute description of their appearance, personal habits.income aud family connections, to assist young ladies to choose husbands this leap year. An export trade in cheese from Auckland is in a fair way of being established. Some time ago the Waikato Cheese and Bacon Factory Company forwarded a ton of cheese to Queensland on trial. Last week the Company's secretary received a cable message from the consignees of the shipment, requesting him to forward two tons more. This circumstance is very gratifying to the Company, who will doubtless open up a good market in the northern colony of Australia. J Chiarini, the circus man, says that he] cleared £5,000 in eight weeks in Sydney lately. He is now in Melbourne, where he expects to go " one better. " A house belonging to Mr Dunlop was burned down on Sunday at Oamaru. Building and furniture were insured for £550 in the Union Office. 11 There were giants in those days." In November last, Patrick William OBrien, the Irish giant, was married at Pittsburg to Christiana D. Dunz, the German giantess. The wedding-ring was five inches in circumference, and the bride's-cakq measured nine feet round.