COLONIAL SOLDIERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 April 1919, Page 5

COLONIAL SOLDIERS.

UNDESIRABLE MAKKIAGES

TIME TO THINK IT OVER

The spirit of chivalry and romance is not yet dead, and young colonial sold-

iers appear to have at. least la fair share of it. says a Glasgow paper. Proof of this was given in a Westminster Court ease which might well serve las the basis for a sensational novel. A young Dominion soldier, it appeared, had offered a sir) an honourable liomi-, biie she preferred her own mode of life.

"The 14th of February—St. Valentine's Day—was to have been lour wedding day." said the young ColonLai, giving evidence regarding Doris Ncweome, the nineteeh-ycar-old girl in question, who was in the dock on remand, charged with solicitation and breach of recognisances. It transpired, that the soldier, under twenty, the son of a prosperous Canadian farmer, made the acquaintance Of the girl nearly a year ago. She was then a munitionworker, but she left her employment. and some months iagO, at Tower Bridge Court, was put on probation for street offences. Afterwards she left a good situation to continue the same mode of life.

The soldier said he lodged the complaint, with the police which led to her arrest, after he had offered to marry her, land take her back with him to Canada. He had since talked the matter over with his regimental chaplain, and he was still prepared to marry the girl if she would promise to leiad a reputable life. He knew what she had been doing while he was in France, but thought that perhaps she might be a better girl now and slay at home with her mother until he should be demobilised in two months' time. Mr Banictt, the court missionary, said that unless the. Court directed, he was very unwilling To assist in a marriage contract in such a case as this. He did not know what would be the future of the colonies if young and inexperienced soldiers took wives of this character. Without iappearing uncharitable, he felt it incumbent to say that he had known many cases of a very similar character. Only the other diP.y, when taking away a girl of seventeen, charged with street offence, to a friend's house, he was waylaid in the street by two young Colonial soldiers. They were disposed to*fight, over her, and the dispute was settled by the' test who could show the most money. The winner displayed no less than £169 in Treasury notes. This man followed the girl to Paddingtou nailway station, and was with difficulty prevented from accompanying her to her destination. The police report was thai she- was now back at her own haunts. Mr Francis remarked with regard to Newcome that on her consent to enter a home for "ix months she would again be placed on probation for a year. At the end of that period the parties would be in a better, position to consider relationship. ■•.