DANGER OF EARLY MARRIAGES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 117, 19 May 1914, Page 3

DANGER OF EARLY MARRIAGES

A JUDGE'S WARNING. AUCKLAND, 18th May. The disastrous results of youthful and hasty marriages were strongly commented upon by, Mr. Justice Cooper in the Supremo Court this morning in the course of a case. Expressing the hope that his words mi^ht have a warning effect, his Honour pointed out that his experience had showed that marriages were often entered into without those enquiries which would ordinarily be made if an employee were being engaged. In this case a woman's life had been practically spoiled by a husband's drunken career, commencing from the clay of the marriage. The case was a n^t unhappy one. A girl of only nine 1. en years had been married to a young man, who must have been, according to the evidence, given to excessive drinking before the marriage. Accepting the evidence of the girl and her mother that they were unaware of this, and that the marriage would not have taken place had ' they possessed this knowledge, the case showed that there ought to be some system by which, before marriage actually took place, some enquiry should be made, if not by the parties themselves, at least by the person officiating at the marriage as to the character and habits of the parties who presented themselves for marriage. UNION COMPANY'S DIVIDEND 'DUNEDIN, 18th May. The directors of the Union Steam Ship Company have declared an interim dividend of 2| per cent, on preference shares and 2^ per .cent, on ordinary shares, being at the rate of 5£ per cent, and 5 pei- cent, respectively' per annum. PORT OP BRISTOL DELEGATES DUNEDIN, 18th May. Messrs. Risley and Lewis, who are touring New Zealand in the interests of the port of Bristol, addressed a meeting of merchants under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce to-day, and were accorded a good reception. The Chairman of the chamber (Mr. J. Loudon) said that an address had been heard from representatives of Hull and tho port of London, and tho case had now been put from the Bristol point of view. New Zealanders should be proud that their little Dominion had engaged so much_ of the attention of the people of Britain. ' New Zealanders were out to do their best to get their exports to Britain at the cheapest possible rate, and also to get their imports landed here as cheaply as possible. Mr. Lewis had given a great deal of information in an explicit form. The Mayor (Mr. J. B. Shacklock) said that if the proposals of the speakers could be carried out, and there were regular means of communication between Bristol and New Zealand, the proposals should be put into operation. On the motion of tne Mayor a vote of thanks to the speakers was carried by acclamation. GENEROUS BEQUESTS TIMARtT, 18th May. The late George M'Sheehy Gentlemun, of Temuka, left £3350 to charitable objects, £1000 of it for the Catholic school in Temuka, £700 for the Society of Mary, £300 each for the Mount Magdala and Nazareth Homes and tho Catholic Cathedral, Christchurch, and the Catholic Church, Temuka, and smaller sums for other similar objects. YOUNG MAN'S STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE CHRISTCHURCH, 18th May. Last week a fire occurred in a house at New Brighton occupied by two young men, ono of whom, Maurice Graham, has since been missing. The occupants of the house at the time were awakened by a neighbour, and escaped hurriedly in their night-clothes. Graham did not turn up to his emoloyment on Monday, and has not been heard of since by his town acquaintances. Even the landlord, it is stated, did not know of the fire until he called to collect the rent. Graham was reported missing to tho police by his brother, residing in Christchurch, and since then he has not been located, although it is suspected that he is at Springfield. His wife, who is on holiday in lnvercargill, was telegraphed to on Thursday, but replied that her husband had not visited her. The police

have been informed that Graham had spoken of going^ to Sydney. Ho is now posted as mi&sing. He is described as of medium build and sallow complexion, and is thirty-two years of age. WOMAN'S FOOLISH ACT NEW PLYMOUTH, 18th May. A young married woman named Christina Ferris Pearce appeared at tho Magistrate's Court to-day to answer a charge of attempted suicide. She said that the deed was the result of an altercation with her husband. He had been shaving at the time, and she had snatch- j ed up the razor and cut two gashes in j her throat, just to frighten him. As the pair had come to a reconciliation, accused was merely convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called on. YOUNG MAN'S FORGERY DUNEDIN, 18th May. A young man named Christopher Robinson, who committed forgery of the name of R. S. Black to a cheque for £50, and who, when arrested at Warepa, swallowed a bottle of poison (from the effects of which lie was only saved by the prompt measures of Constable Harvey), appeared in the Police Court this morning. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.