"EVENING MARRIAGES."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 28 August 1907, Page 4

"EVENING MARRIAGES."

EXTRAORDINARY CASE LN MELBOURNE.

A SALESWOMAN LN NEW ZEALAND.

A case in which Catherine Halliday had obtained an order against her husband, John Halliday, was brought on for rehearing at the North Melbourne Court yesterday (says the Age of 30th July 1 i Ci

.'omplainant stated that on the 3rd ult. sin! was married to defendant by the Rev. J. Hosking, of Fitzroy. Since the marriage defendant had only given her 10s. She gave him Bs back, telling him to pay for the washing with it. After they had lived together in lodgings at Tyrone-street for fourteen days, defendant left her. He told her afterwards it was because she "smelt of drink." He promised to return home, but did not do so. She saw him at an hotel in Fitzroy subsequently, and he said he was enjoying himself. He would do nothing for her, and her life was "simply hell." In answer to Mr Dawson, for the defence, complainant said she did not know defendant until the day of the wedding, when she met him about 10.30 a.m. in a wine-shop. He asked her to have a couple of drinks. Defendant met her later in the day, and asked her to marry him. He was then sober. It was between 9 and 10 p.m. that the marriage took place. She did not say to defendant next morning, "It is all right, ducky. Here are the marriage lines." Once since being married she took too much liquor. She had been a saleswoman in New Zealand, but had 3'ecently been getting money from her mother at Sydney. I When she went to her husband's place of employment she was not drunk. De-

fendant was in the habit of asking her every day if sho was happy. lie often

took a lot of wine. Mr. Dawson said it was the grossest

folly on the part of his client to marry an utter stranger. Defendant said he had been working, at a tailor's shop in Elizatefh-street, but was now out of employment. On the 3rd ult. complainant accosted him in a wine-shop and induced him to come into the ladies' room, where he asked her to have a drink, and made an appointment for the evening. When he met her in the evening he was pretty drunk, and had but a hazy idea of what occurred. On the following morning complainant said to him, "See what you did last night!"

Mr. Blackburn, J.P.: This system of evening marriages is becoming such, a scandal in America that they ate putting a stop to it, and steps should be taken to stop it here. It is a most disgraceful thing that two utter strangers should meet in such circumstances and get married the same evening. Mr. F. Stephen, who appeared for the complainant, said that the Rev. Mr. Hosking should be there to clear up the question whether defendant was sober or not at the time of the marriage. Mr. Blackburn said he agreed with

counsel. Mr. Dawson: Do you think he would admit marrying a drunkard? Not lie!

An order was made against defendant for the payment of 10s per week, witli £2 4s (id costs.