FALSE DECLARATION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17119, 14 April 1921, Page 10

FALSE DECLARATION.

•_— ft . THREE YEARS'' REFORMATORY TREATMENT. , (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM:) AUCKLAND,. April 13. ' Remarkable sidelights were thrown in the Supreme Court this morning upon the career of a young Englishman, named Percival Rhys Wingrove (Mr Inder), who was charged with-having mad© a false declaration before the Registrar when he was married to a girl whose age he gave as 22, when he knew it to be only 18. / Mr Inder explained that the accused. m« the girl and' her parents on the trip from Kngiand to New Zealand! 'ihe young couple becume engaged, but later, owing to Wingrove'e drinking habits, the father ddsupproved. The couple subsequently got married .in. Auckland. The accused had run wild, but for which fact the parents would not have withdrawn their consent. He had had an exceptionally good military' career, and had been an orficer;iii the Imperial forces. Already he had spent about six ' weeks in gaol, and as a fine was usually imposed in such cases, counsel suggested tnat Wingrove might be released when the Court rose. Detective. Gourlay, in a statement read "by the probation omcer, stated that, owing to prisoner's.tlrunken habits at Home his father, who was a director in a wealthy lash manufacturing .firm, had sent him to the Dominion in an endeavour to make good. He had spent all his money, £2O, on the voyage out, and within..a. month of his ari rival had obtained lrom various ywrsons in 'Wellington and Auckland sums totalling £6O, which he had spent. In addition, he had incurred debts at a hotel, and- ait the Woodside Private Hospital. A cablegram had" been sent to his father, who had refused to pay his debts. Home years ago the prisoner had visited New Zealand, when he had succeeded in obtaining ruon<,y in'tv similar manner. He was unaoubteoly a waster. Mr Inder said he had not previously heard the detective's report. Prisoner had been used to high life in England, and had gone to the most expensive hotels in Auckland, although he was only receiving a pension of £2 per week, plus £1 per week from liis father. Drink waa hie weakness. Mr Meredith said the prisoner had been profligate since he had been in Auckland. He hud been borrowing and cadging and living a high life. His Honour said the prisoner's record was such that the case could not be treated as a. venial offence. It was known that prisoner's father had found it impossible to control him. There were no extenuating circumstances in the case, and it would be an injury to Wingrove to treat the matter as his own counsel had suggested. He would be detained for reformatory treatment for a period not exceeding three years.