UNWISE MARRIAGES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3560, 21 September 1916, Page 6

UNWISE MARRIAGES.

BY SOLDIERS OF OVERSEAS FORCES.

AIiCKJLAiSD, September 20

In an interview just oolore tiio iits't -nuul left, Mr I'uxr, Ai.r., speaKing ot che marriages oi soldiers, said a lew soldiers would marry l'rench girls with the idea of taking their wives bacK to : the colonies, but uiis is not encouraged in England, "i am sorry to say some New Zealand lacls have entered into improvident marriages, though, ol course, the same thing has happenou in regard to boys from other Dominions. This is being .stopped, and it is now necessary to get the consent of the commanding officer, which pie- j vents men marrying women who»marr\ just for the sake of the separation allowance and pension, which there is reason to believe has happened in some cases. ".A funny thing occurred the other day. Two Maoris Drought two girls and their mother to the commanding officer,-.-and .told him they had agreed to get: married. 1 The officer, who was an' Auckland chap, pointed out to Hoifc ithat to take these ladies back to a pa in New Zealand was unthinkable. Hone, however, disclaimed any desire t-> leave England after ho was married, and informed the commanding officer that the mother of his sweetheart was a lady who kept an hotel, in Manchester, and that after he proposed marriage he was invited to stay as a. guest nt the hotel for an indefinite period. Needless to say, the commanding; officer's consent was not forthcoming.