MEN WHO HAVE NEVER SEEN THEIR WIVES.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 January 1919, Page 5

MEN WHO HAVE NEVER SEEN THEIR WIVES.

Cupid is always busy at St. Dunstan’s (says the London "Evening News”). An average of two weddings a week takes place among bliind. soldiers; more than 200 have already been married.

Some of the men wore engaged before they were blinded. Girls do not give up their blind fiances; "in fact” an official at St. tDunstan’s said, "we have had cases whore the girl who refused to marry the man before he was blind took him afterwards.”

The men sometimes marry girls they have never seen. Some have been their teacher dr their cox in the boats on the lake; in two or three instances men have married girls quite above their own station in life. A labourer married a wealthy, refined woman.

The marriages have turned out very happily. The men are all able to’ keep themselves and their wives, for they have been ■ trained at St. Dunstan’s to be self-supporting. The wives also usually take an interest in their husband’s work.

Those who marry blind poultry-far-mers are given the opportunity of attending a. course of instruction in. poultry-farming. Wives who have married cobblers have usually learned stitching from the visiting cobbler who teaches the blind men. "It is very desirable that the men should be married,” the official said: "for their wives can be ‘.of 'great assistance to them. They are, nearly all trained to work at home.” A silver teapot is given to every man as a wedding present from St. Dunstan’s and the wedding breakfast is provided.