MAGISTERIAL

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14043, 29 October 1909, Page 6

MAGISTERIAL

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28,1909. (Before Mr V. G. Day, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. A my named Joseph Woods, alias ."Cockney Joe," pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness and was fined ss, with, 24 hours' imprisonment in default. A FALSE DECLARATION. Richard James Hobbs (Mr. W. Raymond), appeared on a charge of making a false declaration of the age of one Eunice McKenna, to the Registrar of Marriages, Timaru, on the 18th August. Sub-Inspector Green said the accused had come to Timaru in August and had obtained tie license from the Registrar, by declaring that the girl's age was 22, whereas she was barely 17. Her parents had lived at Owaka, and the object of the false declaration was of course to obviate the necessity for the consent of her parents. Alex Montgomery, Registrar of births, deaths and marriages in Timaru, said on .the 18th August a man came into the office and signed the usual form required under the Act for a license for a marriage certificate. In this, defendant had sworn that the age of Eunice McKenna was 22 years. Witness did not see the woman at all. In pursuance of this declaration he issued the marriage certificate. Witness could not swear to defendant, as it was not to.be expected that he could remember everyone that came in for a certificate. Archdeacon Harper, vicar of StMary's, Timaru, identified the accus- ' ed as a man he had married on the 19th August. Accused produced a certificate (produced), signed by Mr Montgomery, and handed it to witness. The particulars attached to the certificate were handed to him by accused, on the 18th August. Frances McKenna, mother of the girl Eunice, and wife of Owen McKenna, residing at South Dunedin, said the girl was 16 years of age on the 3rd of last August. Witness had known accused since Christmas, and knew that he wanted to marry her daughter. She had never given her consent to the marriage. To Mr. Raymond: She could not remember whether, when accused first met her daughter, she "had her hair tip." Witness had no objection to the engagement and allowed accused to come and see her daughter twice n week, hut accused thought he should rome oftener. Accused »nd witness had a difference once after he had taken the girl to the theatre. After

that accused left Dunedin. She could not recollect if accused had ever asked her if her daughter was 21. She thought she told him that she wanted him to wait a few years longer before the marnage took place. To Sub-Inspector Green: Her daughter was in service when she first met accused. She was then only 15 years and 4 months old. She told her daughter that she did not wish her to keep company with accused, as she was too young. Her consent was not asked for, or given to any marriage. She didn't know who had informed the Police about the matter, she had never told them, and thought that no good end would be served by tho present prosecutioa. The pair wero married and seemed very happy. fTig Worship: "It would soon he o nice state of affairs, if men could run off with young ; girls and marry them without their- parents consent." This concluded the evidence and accused, whp reserved his defence, was committed to the next Timaru sitting of the Supreme Court. Bail was allowed, accused in £IOO and two sureties of £SO or one of £IOO.