MARRIAGE DECLARATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 113, 11 April 1940, Page 12

MARRIAGE DECLARATION.

ACCUSED FOR SENTENCE. In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, be!ore Alessrs J. T. Bosworth and W. G. Ashworth, J.P.’s, Albert Lawrence Coley, aged 25, labourer, of Shannon, was charged that, on February 19, at Shannon, he made a false declaration to the Registrar of Marriages for the purpose of procuring a certificate of marriage. Detective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklejohn conducted the prosecution. Alexander Semple, Registrar of Marriages at Shannon, gave evidence that accused on February 19 made arrangements for a marriage, handing in the requisite form, on which the name of accused’s intended wife was given as Eileen Joyce Holloway and her age as 21 years. Witness twice questioned Coley concerning the age of the bride, and was assured it was 21. Later, in the presence of accused and two witnesses, he asked the girl if she was 21 years of age, and she replied that she was so. Subsequently witness married the couple. Airs Jane Holloway gave evidence that her daughter was born on March 24, 1920. The cutty in the marriage register regarding her daughter’s age was incorrect. The previous Christmas witness and her husband were asked by Coley if he could keep company with their daughter, a.nd they replied that they would consider it later on.

John Joseph Holloway, husband of the previous witness, stated that lie had seen Coley only once before the marriage. That was about Christmas time, when witness refused him permission to go out with his daughter, stating he would consider it later. He had told Colev she was only 19 years old.

John W. Pressley, clerk in the Palm erston North Magistrate's Court, said he received a communication from Miss Eileen Joyce Holloway on February 12 asking for a copy of her birth certificate. The copy was posted to her care of a Shannon address, on February 16. Detective O. Power su'd he had interviewed Coley, who said he knew there was a doubt about Eileen’s age. The girl had said she believed she wa.s 21 and he accepted her statement, disregarding what the father had told him. The birth certificate arrived on the afternoon of February 19 after they had lx?en married.

Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Palmerston North for sentence. Application for suppression of the name was refused and accused was released on bail on his own recognisance of £25. Eileen Joyce Coley, aged 20. of Shannon, was charged that, on February 19, she made, for the purpose of it being inserted in the marriage-re-gister book, a false statement that her age was 21 years. Evidence similar to that heard in the previous ease was given. Detective Power produced a statement made by the girl, who said they had looked in their post office box for the birth certificate before they went to get married, but it was not there. The certificate arrived in the afternoon, but they were then married. She pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence, bail being allowed in her own recognisance of £25.