SCOTCH WIVES FOR COLONIAL SOLDIERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 8 November 1917, Page 4

SCOTCH WIVES FOR COLONIAL SOLDIERS.

Amongst a batch of Australian soldiers who returned to Sydney recently was a smiling youth. The first words he said were: “Well, I’m still single, notwithstanding that I’ve been to Scotland.” Then he explained. “Nobody seems to know why but the Australians and the Scotch are balmy about each other. The start of it is in the trenches. They are great pals in the firing line. Any Australian on furlough is sure of a great time if he goes to Scotland. Believe me, it is ■ hard to remember your girl in Australia when you get those Scotch lassies’ arms around you. Their admiration is frank, without being bold. I don’t know how else to put it. This sort of stuff is not hard to take. One consequence is that hundreds of marriages have taken place. I don’t know what our girls will say when they know that of a batch of men who will return shortly, 300 are bringing wives home with them. There’ll be some heartaches over that, I’m thinking. I don’t blame the girls over there, but it seems hard on ours over because they yon’t look at a man who stays at home, and lots of the fighters are making other arrangements. It sounds a joke, but it is a dashed serious problem that will have to be faced.”