MARRIED AT FIFTEEN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1600, 18 November 1912, Page 4

MARRIED AT FIFTEEN.

AMAZING CASE IN AUCKLAND. During the hearing of a divorce case at the Supreme Court at Auckland on Friday, his Honour Mr. Justice Cooper found occasion toremark upon tho foolishness of a young girl in marrying a man about whom she knew very little. In tho case in question, the petitioner was barely 15 years of ago when she married the. respondent, but -she had the full consent of hor parents, who were present at tho marriage. His Honour expressed surprise that any parents could consent to thoir daughter marrying at such an nj*e, especially when little was known of the bridegroom. Although lie only lived with his wifo eleven months, ho treated hor atrooiously, at times threatening to shoot her without any provocation whatever, and, ultimately ho deliberately abandoned •her; nothing was heard of liirn for over 13 years, until he appeared on a serious charge at tho Inst criminal passions, this time under, another name. His Honour remarked on the fact that while tho law' protected unmarried girls under tho ago of 1G theVe was no law that thoy should not be married., In granting a decree nisi lie said that petitioner would be well rid of the man, to which she smilingly acauiescod.