CHILD MARRIAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 26 April 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

CHILD MARRIAGE.

DON'T MARRY TOO YOUNG!

• (By MARION, WOODBRIDGE.)

Child marriages to take place. ' ;•. There may ,be exceptional cases ,of monstrous parents who try to sell ,their daughters in marriage at an age when these daughters should be playing with other children or at school. Parents now and then urge a daughter to marry,

even though she is very young, because she has had an escapade with the man they wish her to marry, and marriage is considered necessary to avert tragic consequences. But, generally speaking, parents-do all • they can to guard their daughters from too early marriage. It is the girl herself in most cases who is eager to marry, because she has a "crush," or wants to get away from school,or home. Very young girls to-day have more freedom than girls ever had. i And this is splendid. But when 'this " precious freedom is misused disaster almost cer-. tainly results; The very vidse, safest, happiest plan for a girl is to make a confidante of her mother and frankly talk over heart problems. No girl can be grown up in her judgment at sixteen, no matter how sweetly sincere her love may be., t , Some, women of 25, 30 and 40 contract, utterly foolish marriages. But. at., least these older women have a fair chance. Their judgment is mature and is as good as it'is ever likely to be. But what chance has a child of 12- or 14, a girl of 16'.'or 17, to choose'a, life partner'wisely?, • * Possibly; the mdrijiage" with the, utmost chance of success is that between a young man and girl who played together as'children, were good friends in their teens, and finally in their twenties fell in love. Such affection is.sound and includes friendship. How ' much wiser it is than ; the union of two very young people who, mentally maturing after marriage, may find each other entirely uncongenial. ; In .countries where girls marry at 12 and 13, they are faded and old' at 30. "Poor little thing!' Poor littlegirl! What chance has she? She has sacrificed her girlhood! "folk usually "exclaim when they hear of ;the marriage of a girl who is very, young. Do»not give others a chance ;to f pity " you. Do not be a child bride.' In your twenties you will be every bit as charming and attractive as at sixteen, and at'that age your marriage will be more likely °to call forth sincere Congratulations and felicitations. —("Star" and A.A.N.S., copyright.)