YOUTHFUL MARRIAGES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3328, 5 November 1919, Page 3

YOUTHFUL MARRIAGES.

. -————-—o———--RETURNED SOLDIERS’ CASES. WISDOM OF STEP QUI-JSTIONED. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 1. There was an interesting discussion at a meeting of the Canterb-ury district Repatriation Board yesterda.y upon the question of youthful marriages. . i The discussion arose through Mr H. Goodman. chairman of the suslen—ance and furniture committee. reporting that. two applications‘ for ,£SO furniture grants had been held over by the committee. A One application was from a ;voung man of 21 years, with three years’ service to his credit; He was learnnig the boot trade, was receiving %5/ a week wages, and a subsidy from the board of 35/ a week. He now wished to marry. The other application was from a man aged 23 years, who was disabled, was receiving £1 a week wages, with a .~=ubsidy from the. repatriation department, and who also wished to marry. _ Mr Goodman said there was a division of opinion in the committee on the subject, but personally he held the opinion that subsidised workers were only on trial. They had not made a success of their trade and the subsidy could ‘be withdrawn at any time. Referring particularly to the case of the young man of 21 years, he considered that he should wait until he got his feet. He moved that the two appli=ations he declined. ‘

Mr J. A. Clarke considered it was unfair for a young man to incur the 1-espqinsibility of getting married while the board was sugsialising him to enable him to get‘. on his feet. The board should not assist a man to get married before he was 25 years of age. A young man of 21 did not Know his own mind. Mr W'_ E. Loadley: He knew his own mind when he went to the war. Mr N. B. McCallum said this was one of the 1-isks the Govel~nmon’g mus!‘ iako. He could not see how the Com~ 'nitl*ee could rufiise to assist the ap~ plicants. Mr P."Da\'idson said the department :<hould not encourage young men of fhis age to ni-an-y, as £3 a week now was not equal to more than 35/ before the war. He would not like his daughter to marry :1 man under such (til'CllmStallC(‘S. ‘

The cllail'inall (Mr A- VV. Jziniioson), S:-.id until 1110 young men subsidised, l0:i.1‘1)ed t‘~ioir t)'2ulE‘__ t‘nr-_y should not 111i,«1<~rtakv the r«-spmlsibilities of marriod life. MombPl's of the ‘board knew what married‘ responsibilities. were, but the 3'oullg' man. would not. Mr W. E. Lea_dlo_v was of opinion that the loan should be granted. A man who had been through “three TV(“=U'S Of 110” oV<‘l' t‘ho.l'e_.” had the right to suvure the comforts of homo lifv. Ho would like to see every returned soldier gotl‘iilg mari-ied. Mr E: J. Ho\\'al'd said the mom could apply within six month.~: for an inC'l(‘?.Se in his wages. without having his subsidy rr=dnr;ed. Taking it on its face value he saw no an-gunwnt why the man should not inurry. The children of young mon were better than the oliildrnii of men niarigviiig later in ll'l’a_

Mr F. VV. Hobbs nmvml that bO".h cases be I'<‘.l'&‘.l'rvd back to thé connu3t—ten for furthvr oollsidm'at.iun ;In<'l this c-.om~so was a(lopt'ed.