MARRIAGE TANGLE

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1929, Page 3

MARRIAGE TANGLE

NEW ZEALAND SEQUEL. (Australian Press Association) AUCKLAND, Oct. 30. Tangled relations, •aris.ng from four marriage ceremonies, were described at the Supreme Court, when Minnie Clamest Horrocks, was charged with bigamy, and with making a false declaration to the Registrar, ©f. Marriages at Auckland that she was marr ed. The charges arose from a form of marriage which the accused went through with George : Earl at Auckland in 1921, whereas she had previously married William. Arthur\Meredith in England in 1912. Both Meredith find the accused had been married prior to 1912. The‘dqath , of. the iccusedls first Husband was not disputed, but whereas Meredith (now a tailor in Christchurch), stated that lie hall learned of Ins wife’s death spun yeans before marrying the accused, the defence was raised that accused had reason to believe, on Meredith’s own admission* that nis. first, wife ,-was-Joy-ing bat the; time of the second^ mar‘riage ceremony.' «.. -v./*/ " vi cV;

Meredith/ in evidence/'denied* that’ he told the, accused, his former wife, was living. The accused was ; described ais a spinster when she married him and he was.then unaware of her previous marriage. ’He went to the war with the Twentieth Reinforcements, on returning, he inquired for her, without success, and he did not sec her again until the present - .proceedings started. /' / , , ~ ).-• Accused, in the witness box, affirmed the accuracy of statements which she had made to the police. She said that, while away with the Expedition-’ ary Force, Meredith wrote saying that he was having a good time in England with his wife, and had no intention of returning to New Zealand. Meredith’s mother had told her, after the marriage, that he had a wife living in England, and Meredith had confirmed this, hut said that because of something she had done, this wife had no claim on him. When she met Ear! in 1921,' she • believed the 1912 ceremony < was . not a marriage, because Meredith had a wife living. Accused’s maiden name was Horrocks.-’ V •

The jury returned a verdict of. “not guilty.” ' ' _ \'