BACHELORS OF TO-DAY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4808, 9 February 1925, Page 2

BACHELORS OF TO-DAY.

« MEN WHO’ FEAR MARRIAGE. WHAT IS THE REASON ? Why is it that so many men are . afraid of marriage, asks .Sarah Speed • in the “Daily Mail.” The bachelor of to-day does not at all. resemble the grumpy, bachelor of flve-and-iwenty years ago. / Almost every woman knows some attractive man between 30 and 50 who, . - while companionable, Interesting, * s usually expert in some sport, and probably a good dancer, shows no in- : - clination to marry. There are a few men who are so :/ conservative by nature that any suggestion that they should lelinqufeh their bachelor habits, their comfort- ; able routine, atid their freedom from responsibility is apt to frighten them. But such men are rare. It is the. modern man, the admirable friend, • the charming guest, whose persisten*. ~ singleness provides such a puzzle.

I am inclined to think that men credit women with a standard of ury which is sheerly imaginary. At a seaside hotel a few days ago I : heard one of the guests described as “a woman who would make a wonderful wife.” .

A bachelor* also a guest at the same hotel, agreed, but added rather nervously that the husband' would have to be very rich in order to maintain home such as the woman would ; ■ naturally desire. - ) “You couldn’t ask a girl like that to marry on £5OO a year,” he commented. -

.1 knew the girl very well. I knew that she was a clever dressmaker who made most of her own artistic clothes, that she was an excellent cook, able to prepare meals which sound sive but which, as she makes them are economical.

I think men fail to. realise that the modern girl who gets a great deal

out of life also puts a great deal into it. Moro attractively dressed than ’ her grandmother, interested in game-s, . socially a delightful person to meet.

the girl of to-day is «o less interested

in housewifery’ than her ancestors. The very fact that in modern marriage tlie troubles of home-making are) shared by both husband and wife robs them of half their terrors.

Why' then, should our dear bachelors fear marriage ?