RIGHT TO WED

NZ Truth, Issue 1216, 21 March 1929, Page 7

RIGHT TO WED

Parents Refused To Say ' ? fes," So_S.M. Did euMD GOEsyro law • .-'.'• .-';.'-■'* ; --' ■ ' ■ ~ r ~' 1 y ;.'.. :(Frbm-"N.Z; Truth's" Wellington Reipresentative) . Marriage seems to have become almost a mockery With many people, as is testified to* by the ever-increasing lists that confront the Supreme Court Judges on divorce day. -.'.'..'; It is ; therefore rather a novelty to find a couple who love to the extent that -they are willing to face the law courts m an ; endeavor to obtain consent? to their marriage when the parents 6f the giri havei offered eyeiry ojipbsitipri. . y ' V

IT was such a case that, came before Mr. T. B. McNeil,, S.M., m * the Wei-. lington Magistrate's Court the other day, and .when; jthe facts had been sifted, arid ari unhappy tale of home life had been unfolded, the application for' the marriage to take place was granted.' Mr. J. Meltzer watched over the destinies of the young, couple. Slight of stature, and neatly attired m a black coat with a light straw hat, Alma: YLily Carruthers presented a pretty picture .standing, beside Albert Stewart Fredrickson, a tall, rather thin young man, and the pair listened silently, to sonic fairly harsh hometruths levelled at them by Arthur B. Carruthers, father of the' girl. Carruthers needed no second invlta-: tion to tell the court why he objected to his daughter rharrying Fredrickson. "She has . never asked me if she could marry that man, and anyhow" I object* and it is only natural that I dp," he said. Mr. McNeil pointed out that the Sung man was a carpenter aged years, and was earning £5 15s. per week. He was a steady young mm who wis given an exoellent reputation and was quite oapable and, confident of looking after a Wife. Mr. Meltser Intimated that- the girl

two nights before and had asked if he . could marry. the girl. Carruthers had refused his consent, and said Fredrickson, then threw a letter at his feet. The** latter, upon a demand by witness, picked it up, and after handing it over, "ran for his life." If that was not' being a cur, Carruthers did not know what was. He complained that Fredrickson had ignored him throughout the' affair, and said he would not ,have minded so : much if he had been a gentleman and had come to him properly. . His daughter; had known 1 the young man for only twelve riionths. He and his wlf e„ had looked after her well; had- given her a good home; and were present that day, to protect her and guide her aright. "You seek to guide your daughter?" asked Mr. -Meltzer.-. The father: "Yes, I do." Counsel then elicited the infor-mation-that Mr. and Mrs. Carruthers: were living apart, having mutually agreed to separate twelve . . months ago. That point was introduced by counsel to show that the girl had had an unhappy home, and to cay that she could be much happier with Fredrickson if she .were married. Carruthers agreed that his daughter was a good girl and had been one of

Wa* living apart ■'•-■•' the best, ■• although frorir her parents, I ~""" : " ~~~~'. \ since she had met having' left home ** • g\\ % \ Fredrickson she ' the previous week PafAflfrc llhlPrfinn had entirely chang- i owing /to some * CUCIIiO V/VJClllUl- ed and was quite i trouble In the ■ ' "' - A „■■ different m her bouse. She was ■ "~ " treatment of her ,

staying with the woman who -had boarded Fredrickson, but the latter had left .to reside elsewhere so that the girl .could /have a nice home to go to. - ■■ , ■ -,- All this failed to convince. Carruthers,; who. gave, every indlcatlori of wanting, to continue his interrupted narrative. He did- not know until two days before that; the girl wanted to marry Fredrickson, he said. His daughter was, too young to marry anyone. She was only 20, and had the brain of a child of 16. . She had certainly passed the sixth standard and had obtained her proficiency' and had a term at the Technical College;' which was followed by shorthand and typewriting, but nevertheless he contended it was not right that she should be married. "Another thmg, I don't consider that the young man is capable of looking after a wife," he continued. "He is earning '£5/15/---while he works.'and f am led to believe that during the winter months he only works half the time. That is not all, either. Only the other night Alnia came crying, to her mother that she, r .thought Fredrickson had tubercu? losis. And he is a cur, too." The magistrate sought the reason fojthis allegation, and was informed that Fredrickson had come to the house

mother and her brother and sister. Lily Dora Carruthers objected to her daughter marrying Fredrickson on the grounds , that it' had been precipitated , by an, argument m the home. Her daughter had intimated her intention of leaving, and she (her mother) told her she cotfld-go. -.-- . Another, thing, was that the girl was j not like other girls. , She had never ; been allowed out to dances arid the ' usual run of things which the average girl enjoyed^" In short, she did not have .enough knowledge of the world to get married. She. was not m good health andhad often complained about her back. ."Plenty of girls are married before they are twenty," reriiarked the magistrate..; V V • — The mother complained that Fredrickson had called, on her^ • daughter every night m the week N and even Sunday. The magistrate [ remarked that that was to be expected with courting couples. The question- of tuberculosis was cleared up when counsel produced a medical certificate procured that day which negatived any suggestion that Fredrickson was a subject to the dis- < ease. .-•"- : '" ' ' "' < "It is obvious that they are attached '' to each other," said Mr. McNeill, "and ' on the facts produced I have no hesitation m granting the application." \