Marriage of Children.

Manawatu Herald, 1 August 1903, Page 3

Marriage of Children.

A uiyque divorce case came before the English Law Courts recently. A London correspondent writes : —“ A briclo, aged 18, has been suing for a decree of nullity as regards her marriage with a bridegroom of 14 1 The full circumstances have not been disclosed in the law reports, but the girl pleaded that she had been constrained by duress on the part of her father to marry the boy, without understanding the nature of the ceremony, wherefore she prayed that the matriage might be pronounced null and void. The judge-, after hearing the evidence, and interrogating the petitioner, came to the conclusion that she knew perfectly well what she was doing, and he therefore refused to.take so serious a step as to interfere with a wedlock, that however impudent and premature, yet had been strictly in accordance with the law, and entered into with the sanction of the bride’s father. So iht decree of nullity was refused, and thus, should their lives be spared, the enterprising and precocious couple will celebrate their “ silver wedding" at the ages of 88 and 89 respectively, and their “ golden wedding” at 63 and 641 They may even live to see their 75th wedding i&y, in which case they would be oMy 88 and 89, no rare age in this country nowadays.