HE "BLUED" THE LOT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4203, 27 August 1892, Page 2

HE "BLUED" THE LOT.

Extenuating Circumstancei

At the District Court'sitting at Oamavu the other day, before His Honor Judge Ward, an application for order of discharge elicited a point whioh caused some amusement, rais* ing as it did tho question of how far matrimony might be urged in extenuation of dishonesty, A lively discussion ensued between Bench and Bar upon the point. The facts of the case showed that the applicant before the Court had been married four days before filing his petition, and subsequently £45 out of a sum of £lO6 was unaccounted forin his statement of accounts. 'Ho explained the discrepancy by stating that he had been drinking a good deal at the time, and supposed he had "blued" it.

Mr Harvoy urged that lie had just got married at the time, and although it was very wrong, no doubt, still Bis Honor could well imagine that a man might be so very fond of a woman as to spend all his money on her to the detriment of bis creditors,

His Honor thought this a very curious doctrine to enunciate. If he understood Mr' Harvey aright, he gathered that the more a man loved a woman the greater likelihood of his dishonesty. Mr Harvey dissented, but urged that the honeymoon and incidental expenses conneoted with tho ceromony would run away with a lot of money.

His Honour (referring to tho statement) i But he only spent 80s on her, Mr Harvey. I suppose this represents the honeymoon spent at Duntroon.

Mr Harvey submitted that this did not represent the total expenses, A man could'ntget married on 80s, Hjs Honour: I would not advise you to try, Mr Harvey. Mr' Harvey handed up tho Assignee's report, wherein bankrupt was reported to have said I "I thought in the interests of my creditors, the best thing I could do was to get married,"

His Honour understood that Mr Harvey then wished it believed that bankrupt's misdoings were mellowed by matrimony, Under tho circumstances he thought Mr Harvey might have produced the lady in order that he might have had some definite evidence as to the value of the matrimonial alliance as an extenuating oircumstance. Putting aside the question of matrimony, however, the application would be granted,--' Mail.'