"COURT" MARRIAGES A CURSE.

Taihape Daily Times, 8 May 1919, Page 6

"COURT" MARRIAGES A CURSE.

DOMINION SOLDIERS OFFER £169 FOR A GIRL!

I do not know what will be the future of the Dominions if young and inexperienced soldiers are to be allowed to take wives of the character of this girl to the Colonies. Behind this statement, made a £e*v days ago by Mr. BarnetU the missionary at Westminster Police Court, lies a story full of pathos and chivalry—a story typical of many which constitute one of the gravest social problems of the present day. In the dock stood a girl of 19, She was charged with the all too familiar offence of solicitation. That day—St. Valentine's day—she was to have been married to a young Dominion soldier of 22 the son of rich parents, who was in court.

It was about a year ago that the soldier made the acquaintance of the girl. She was then engaged on munitions. Leaving her employment, she wa s "put on probation for street offences. And sac continued her mode of life.

A complaint by the s-ddier who loved her to the police, brought about her arrest on the present charge. Yet in court he offered to marry her, take her back to the colonies, and give her every chance of leading a new life. And this offer was made after he had talked the matter over with his regimental chaplain. It was then that the missionary made the statement I have quoted, and added that unless he were Corced* into it he would have nothing to do wi'h arranging a marriage :.mljr \hcs-3 circumstances. THE TREASURY. NOTE TEST Once, Mr. Barnctt related, he was taking a girl of sevent?en p.ac- 1 ! on probation for a street oi'fone?, to the house of a friend, for safety. Two Dominion soldiers waylaid him. At first they were disposed to fight for the girl, but eventually settled the matter of seeing who could show the most money. The winner showed £169 i.i Treasury notes! He followed her to Paddiigton, and only with the greatest difficulty was he prevented from accompanying the girl he wished to marry—now back in her old liaunts —to her destination.

When I read the dramatic little story I sought the opinion of several famous police court missionaries, as to the wisdom of arranging marriages, which only have the magisterial blessing as a foundation!

"They are agreed that, speaking broadly, police court marriages are a curse to fhe community. Scarcely three in a hundred turn out. happily. A few years ago the police-court misionary was regarded as a, recognised matrimonial agent. A girl would be charged at the police court with some offence—often theft, misbehaviour, or attempted suicide. There would be elements of pathos in her story.

Within a few days of the details being made public the missionary was invariably inundated with offers to marry the girl. Home of those were made out of pure chivalry. Others came from men who wanted a legal wife for what I will describe as sinister purposes. CHAINED TO A "GROOK." Marriage seemed tr- furnish an easy solution to a perplexing problem. Magistrates smiled benignly on it, and often provided the fees or gave a present with tbeir benediction. Within a few months sometimes weeks the parties were in the police court again—this time as complainant and defendant, "With all respect and honour to our soldier boys," said one famous missionary to me when discussing this question, "one has to remember that some of these men were bullies before they went into the army. They are bullies still. They read the newspaper reports, oi themselves, attend the police courts, on the look-out for a girl they can marry so that they can live on the proceeds of her shame. l