GAVE FALSE AGE OF GIRL HE MARRIED

Chronicle (Levin), 30 November 1946, Page 2

GAVE FALSE AGE OF GIRL HE MARRIED

DUNEDIN, Nov. 20. The avtion oi' a mau ugml 32 iu tak* in^ "a girl, slill atlending seeoiidary school, lo t.'ln islHiiuvli and maiTying her there, led to tlio appearauee in tho Magistnite \s (.'ourt today oi Jioraeo Seymour S]»arro\v, (les-ril)ed as couducting a moLor-driving school. Sparrow adiuitted vliurges oi niukiug a false declaration for the parpose oi proenring a nmrriage licence, and vas liued £2o. A lurtber charge oi abduetlon was withdrawn. Chiel J)etecli\e llall tohi the Court that Sparr-ow becanie l'riendly iu Janu ary willi a girl, alteuding the ULago Girls ' Uigli School, who was now 16 years and 10 uioiitlis oi age. As a rcsiili oi llieir associalion, she llioiiglit slie had iiccotue pregnant. Ou November IS they weut to the lvegistrar oi Marriages at Dunedin, and, w lien the latter eslablisiied that Ihe girl was not 21, he relused to 'issue a niarriage licence. Next day, Sparrow and the girl wenl to t'hristchurch wliere both gave false inl'oiination to tlie registrar, Sparrow signing a declaration that she was 21. The liceuce was issued and they were married the same aiternoon. The reason for Ihe withdrawal 61 tho abduction charge, add the Cliief Detective, was that there was diihculty in estalilishing whether Sparrow had taken the girl away from her parents for tlie purpose that slie sliould he carnally known. ller parents, who kneiv nothing of her intention to inarry accused, were now reconciled to the situation. Counsel for accused, Mr. M. Ilannan, sa'id that the niarriage was regarded as vulid in law.