ADVICE TO THOSE ABOUT TO MARRY.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8167, 23 April 1895, Page 4

ADVICE TO THOSE ABOUT TO MARRY.

One of the many functions of the London Magistracy is to acb as general advisors to those who look upon them as poor men's lawyers, and come bofore their courts asking for guidance. The advice they give is, as a rule, characterised by the c uodest common sense, but human nature would nob be what is is if good counsels were always adopted, and ib is not supprising, there* fore, to find that many of the Magis trato's suggestions are as little to the tnste of those who ask for them os are bis judicial pronouncements to the criruimls he sentences to gaol. A case in point occurred a few weeks ago at the Forth London Police Court, when a respectably dressed young girl who, it is said, mndo a great display of an obgagemenb ring, nskod Mr Lane, Q.C. the presiding Magistrate, for advice, bhe said she had left) her home to get married, and her mother threatened her and told her sho would make her coruo home again. She admitted only being seventeen years and four months old ; her mother said she ought not to go out wibh anyone. . Mr Lane — I dare say she knows more about it ths.n a Magistrate, But you don't agree with it ? The applicant — No. And she keepß me under so. Mr Lane — Perhaps that is good for you. What is this young man 1 A * berdless youth " |ue"e upon submibtod himself, with a broad smile, to Mr Lane's inspection, and in answer to that gentleman's query, said he was twenty two years of ago. The situation was not without its sentimental aide, but the magistrate waa practical and unsentimental in the extreino. "I should say," ho remarked, l< that neither of you is old enough to sob up housekeeping. Twenty two and seventeen ! This time twelve years you will have a houseful of people to look after, if you wait a few years there won'b be so many. I should advise you to savo a little money, and you will be all the b°tter able to mreb your responsibilities by-and-by." The girl was anxious to know whether her mother could ma^e her go home again, and Mr Lane reassured her on that point, saying 1 that her mother had no such power. He was not the leasb sanguine as to his good advice being followed. " I suppose," ho Baid, • you won't be advised by anyone in the world, bub will simply follow your own ends That will do. T have told you all I can now." The boy and girl, says the report, lefb the Courb looking rather doubtfully ab each other, but the probailities are that the Magistrate's estimate of the extent to which his advice would be followed was correct and that the young couple got married in defiance of his warning.