PROXY BRIDEGROOM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4371, 27 January 1922, Page 3

PROXY BRIDEGROOM.

Unaware that under the marriage laws of England it is impossible to be, married by proxy, bridegroom, who engaged his brother to act in his capacity, finds himself still unmarried, although the wedding ceremony had actually been begun. . ' Mr Charles Phillips recently took out a license to be married in a London registry office, and the ceremony was arranged. At the appointed hour a man, accompanied by an attractive young woman, entered the office and produced the license, and everything was made ready for the ceremony.

Reading out the bride’s particulars and finding them correct, the registrar turned to the apparent bridegroom and began to re,ad over to him his declaration. Everything went smoothly until the bridegrooms Christian names were mentioned.

Then it. was that the bridegroom by proxy told the registrar that the names were his brother’s, and that he was

deputising for liim. At the same time he produced a note written by iiis brother saying that he was called suddenly to France and \ stating that he wished to be married by proxy, and naming his brother as the sub-, stitute.

The astonished registrar pointed out to the couple that it was impossible for him to marry them, and that the brother named op the license must attend to be married. '

In vain the bridei-to-be explained that her fiance, would be away for at least another week, and that all her friends had been told of the event. The registrar was obdurate, and the couple and their witnesses drifted out of the office.