BIGAMIST PUNISHED

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 48, 20 November 1926, Page 8

BIGAMIST PUNISHED

“DESERVING AN EXEMPLARY SENTENCE”

Dominion Special.

Christchurch, November 19. A sentence of twelve months imprisonment was inflicted on Joseph William Henry Darke in the Supreme Court to-day for bigamy. Darke was married in England. He went to sea, deserted his wife and children, came to New Zealand and went through the marriage form with a woman m Christchurch. , , Mr A. L. Haslam (counsel for prisoner) said he was 32 years of age and had been in New Zealand for six vears. He had heard a rumour that his wife in England was dead. Mr. Justice Stringer: He only says he heard a rumour. I don’t believe it. He simply deserted her and picked np vi itli another woman. He seems to have deserted his second wife also. Mr. Haslam: He says that he went to look for work, and that when he returned she had gone, and had left instructions that he was not to be told her whereabouts. . . His Honour: He made no provision for his children in England. The Government officers there bad to enforce the law against him. He does not seem to have behaved very well. The report to me is that he left his second wife, and had been living with another married woman. Mr. A. T. Donnelly (Crown Prosecutor) 'said that inforrriaution supplied to him showed that Darke had been living witn In’s second wife. His crime came to light when she took proceedings against him. His Honour said that Darke was-in a relationship with three women that was ambiguous at least, and he deserved an exemplary sentence.