A QUAINT PROBLEM

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14591, 15 February 1921, Page 2

A QUAINT PROBLEM

t «, "BRITISHER" WITH TWO WIVES. (From a Correspondent). SYDNEY, February 2. The Sydney water police Mad a quaint problem before them last week, when a vessel arrived from Fiji and a Chinese Britisher stepped ashore, followed by two demure Chinese wives. He was a rich Chinese merchant, and he was proud of his two dninly little wives, each of whom was accompanied by a family of chubby children. The water police were in a quandary; there were no regulations governing the entry of two wives into the country. They were good Br'iiish regulations, reeognishing only monogamy. The position became more complicated when it was found thai Ihe Chinaman was a naturalised Brit sh subject. Therefore, his wives end children were naturalised Briiisn subjects, too. The formalities to make them so had been gone through in Suva. But the Australian law recognised only one wife. Which of v.i• e two little Chinese women was it to be? 'lt appears that the first wife bad been married years ago, in China, where a system of polygamy, based on economic condition, is allowed— that is to say, a man may marry as many women as he can support. Then 'he Chinaman, coming to Fiji and proofing, had -taken a second wife, this one according to British law, which did not recognise the Jirst wife. The name of the first wife was on Hie Chinaman's passport, however, while the second (and in the eyes ->f She British law the legal) wife had merely an official passoprt to leave Fiji. -There were some fierce arguments between the indignant Chijiaman and the Harrassed police. The police said they had no regulation recognismg two Wives. The Chinaman, as a naturalised Britisher, insisted that they belli have admittance to Hie country as the Wives of a Britisher. Finally, it was decided lo na3s m the wife claimed in Hie passport ihe lady who was married in China, "he lady married in Fiji, who was not in the passport, but the legal wife in British eyes, was labelled an alien and passed in as such. It will therefore be necessary, under the Miens' Registration Regulations, for this lady lo report herself at intervals to Ihe police.