AMERICAN MARRIAGES
(To the Editor.) Sir, —In view of the fact that we are informed that some 50 Australian girls married men of the visiting American Fleet, I think it well that a word of caution should be given to the girls of New Zealand in prospect of the visit of the American Fleet to our shores. To Americans marriage does not mean what it does to us, as may readily be seen by reference to the large aud rapidly increasing number of divorces in America. I think it would be safe to say that there are far more unsatisfactory than satisfactory marriages in America. "I dread to see my sons coming of an age to marry,'' remarked au American, whose boys were at university, to mc, "for the dangers of a bad marriage are so great." .Many factors contribute to this deplorable state of affairs, lack of discipline ill the home being by no means the least. For British women to marry American men is not so risky as for British men to marry American women. It is the women of America rather than the men who instigate divorce proceedings, and numbers of States grant divorce to women on grounds for which men may not obtain divorce, such as cruelty, for instance. Americans have the queerest ideas of marriage and divorce. They hold that Ihe marriage contract may be j.mr.illed for one party but not for another. Thus a wife who has obtained a divorce may marry again, but the husband" would be guilty of bigamy were he to' marry again without removal of legal disabilities. British ideas of child-training, domestic economy, the colour problem, and many other matters so differ from the American that the prospects of congenial married life between tlie British and American arc more remote than is desirable. —I am, etc., J. G. HUGHES. (To the Editor.) Sir, —The male population of the Dominion exceeds that of the female by a wide margin. There are more males than females immigrating into New Zealand every week. Vet in the face of this we are confronted witli thousands of youthful Americans with their eyes "skinned for girls and prepared to marry them at the short notice of two or three days. Something like. Mt marriages have already occurred in Australia, it seems hardly fair to the New Zealand men when tlie New Zealand women enter into marriage with the Americans—the happiness of which is questionable—and ultimately leave the Dominion, making the dearth of women still greater. AYe are anxious to extend all hospitality to our visitors. Is it not unfortunate that in doing «p we may lose many of our prospective wn-es?—l am, etc., ENGAGED.
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Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 187, 10 August 1925, Page 14
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448AMERICAN MARRIAGES Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 187, 10 August 1925, Page 14
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