A SOLDIER'S WEDDING.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 240, 9 January 1917, Page 4

A SOLDIER'S WEDDING.

An Unexpected Difficulty.

How it was Overcome*

When a man wants to get married he usually makes all the necessary arrangements beforehand, and tries to get over the hurdle with as little waste of time as possible. Soldiers, however, are not their own masters, and are not in a happy position of making their arrangements as complete as desirable, as the following story, which appears in the Napier "Telegraph" will show:— A soldier on final leave decided not to quit the country without taking unto himself a wife, thus adding another shilling a day to New Zealand's war bill. He had the girl—and she was willing; so off they set to the office of the registrar, which was found locked up. Enquiries elicited the fact that the official had gone off for a holiday, and had not left a deputy. As the soldier only had ten days' leave, the position began to look serious, and a visit was paid to the Magistrate, the inspector of police, Canon Mayne, and other notables, with a view to obtaining some advice that would be of use. However, none was offering, the registrar's office was shut, and it looked as though the wedding was off

Some kindly-disposed person suggested, " Vigor Brown—see what he can do." Vigor Brown was approached, and after wrestling the mighty problem, had a faint recollection that there was something in the War Regulations—or some other new Act—which provided that a soldier could be married without residing in the place of the ceremony for the usual three days. The Act was secured, and the provision was there, safe and reliable. The Hastings Registrar was communicated with, but he did not have knowledge of the Act. The Mayor of Napier, however, was not beaten; he sent the soldier and his intended bride out by the next train, and the pair carried the copy of the law as carefully as though it was the bride's marriage lines. Arriving at Hastings, the local registrar was convinced, and the soldier's pay-book was accepted as proof of enlistment—and the ceremony was proceeded with. The happy couple soon after left for the south for their honeymoon, which at one time threatened to vanish into thin air.