IN THE HAREM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 160, 27 June 1908, Page 3

IN THE HAREM

The po-itiou 01 the Tnrki-h \v<>inan in the Tnrki-di harem is not usually siiji-po-I'd to he consistent with iVminille dignity as understood in niore enlightened "juarters, but in some re.-pects at !ea-5 the Turkish wife lias the advantage ~f tho-c» who look down up<ni her. Tlu- .Mohaimnedau law hold* that Ihe unmarried woman lias uo son), and for thi- view there is niuidi to be .-aid. a!theve j- i)i> a|>pai'eni reason fov the ijualityinjr adjective. i»ut -lie has liuman ritriits all the »;ime. and OEieiual en-loin look* after them with -ome viu«air. Fof the •Furki-li hu--l;and iini-l endow fiis wile at marriage with a -eparate e-tale, over which lie ha- iio coinrol. <-veit in the ea-e of divoive. Moreover, he nin-l -picit'y in the marriage M-ttleineiit liow much he pi'opo-e- io alhiw her for 'and into tlie <li-position «>( thi- -inn he inu-i make no irnpiirie*. should ihei"* be ipoii- than one wile- and this is by no mean- n-iial. the Sultan him-elt havini: onlv one - the hu-band i- forbidden b\ law to -how partialily either in the way of i-re-em-. of hi- conipany. or of donie-tie comfort-. If he jn>e- on a journe\ and lake-one of hi- wive- for compan;, in- mii-i provide satisfactory coiii-prii-ilion for iho.-e who ale left at I ; <• 11, i•. Lejj.il redre-s i- alwa>s op<»n to the oli'ended wife, and it is to the credit of the hu-band that he rarely oc-ca-io]| for eoinplamt. The ari-tocratie Turk i- a nnulel family man. hiiinane, ii»d:11 li♦ •:i'. and all'eci ioiiat". The -epar- .» t. • |tl;l !; i.i i;e -, Ulcin.iil ,md the -pc<iii.aiM k-epme allowance woiihl liardlv rv-oM-ile the woman of civilisation liavried life in Turkey, but tliey are evii!eir• c- of an remarkable if only fur its location.