MARRIAGE BY PROXY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3024, 10 March 1917, Page 11

MARRIAGE BY PROXY

ANZACS PUZZLED AND'.DUBIOUS. When it was announced iu London that a bill had been introduced in. tho Australian House of Representatives to legalise marriage by proxy among Australians on' active service, the troops in England wcro said to bo puzzled to understand the meaning or this legislative move. According to the "Weekly Dispatch," tbcy declared that they would rather not marry at all than by proxy. '.'When I marry I am taking my girl to the altar myselr, remarked ono mischievous-eyed Anzac. "I am not troubling any pal to act in my place." An Australian staff officer who bolongs to the original Expeditionary Army, remarked that he had never had any demand from his men for marnago by prosy, but there was not the slightest doubt as to tho moaning of the proposed legislation. "It is," he says, "to get Australians to marry Australian girls. "When an Australian comes over to England ho may bo tempted to forget the sweetheart he has left behind him, and marry an English girl. ■ That is all very well from his point of view, but it is jolly hard on tho lass waiting for him in 'Australia and worrying her heart out wlieher ho wiU bo tailed or not. . "There have been so many cases or Australians marrying English girls and disappointing their own sweethearts that I suppose the.Australian girls m self-defence have been makme representations to the Commonwealth Government. "On the other hand, one of our boys, badly wounded and with an even chance of dving or recovering, may fern he wonld like to marry his sweetheart ami secure to her the pension to which the widow of an Australian soldier is entitled. Thousands of miles away, his only chance of achieving his desire is to marry her by proxy. "Again, there- are nny number ot Australian soldiers who would, no doubt, welcome tho opportunity _ot marrying their sweethearts and making sure that no rivals estrange their affections. "Tho majority of the Australians on active service "aro bachelors, and, of course, it would bo extremely hard linos on the pretty Australian lasses if they found that the affections of their sweethearts woro being diverted by tho very . attractive English girls, n'nd the Australian Tommy is more romantic and senfimental (than, most people suspect. "Distance may lend enchantment to tho view, but in' the case of the Anzacs 'distance very often means all tho difforenco between an English and an Australian bride. Bosides, how hard to resist falling in lovo with the charming and sympathetic nurse who tends you back to health."