ENGLISH WIVES ARRIVING

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1917, Page 3

ENGLISH WIVES ARRIVING

Sydney, Oct 31. What is—to put the mildest phrase upon it—something of a stir lias been caused throughout Anslralia by the arrival of the first ship-load of English wives ot Australian soldiers. A transport, carrying wounded men and soldiers’ wives, has arrived in Australia, and Sydney’s quota (30) of the wives- there are 100 altogether—has just- landed. Sydney does not appear to know whether to be amused, augr) r , or just critical. There have been many rumours of thousands of Australian soldiers being captnred by English girls, bnt Australia did not worry, each Australian girl had faith in her own man. Bat now that the Australian Government representatives in London are beginning to ship the young wives out herp, the Australian female population is beginning to “ sit up and take notice.” The girls are coming out as assisted immigrants, and it is said thei’e are hundreds awaiting berths. One portion of this transport was strictly reserved for the hundred wives, and practically no intercourse was permitted between the young women and the returning soldiers. There were half a dozen husbands aboard, but they were allowed only a brief conversation daily with their wives. The majority of husbands are either at the front or already in Australia. Other parties of wives are to be brought out as opportunity offers. It appears to be a case of “the hearts that are near.” The Australian soldier-and all remarks herein apply 1 with almost equal strength to the New Zealanders, who are also industri<fcs- ; ]y marrying in England—is very far from his home and his own folk; he | appears before the English people as 1 a hero, almost a demi-god from a! splendid romantic land; he is openly 1 adored by the English girls; and he is married almost before he knows what has happened. Unprejudiced observers, after seeing the newly ar- ; rived English wives, said that they 1 “ didn’t think they could blame Billjim ”: they were a pretty, wholesome, attractive collection of young English womanhood. I In the majority of cases they should have no reason to regret their choice of soldier husbands. But. one hears of a. number of instances of Australian girls, who have been formally engaged to soldiers who have gone away, being rather cruelly jilted, in favour of some girl with a white and pink complexion, who has nursed or comforted Billjim in far-away England. And ' the real pity of it is that this country

already possesses more marriageable girls than there are men available. What with the wastage of war, and the depredations of the English misses, things look bad for the Australian spinster.