YOUNGER BRIDES.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10744, 15 November 1928, Page 6

YOUNGER BRIDES.

TENDENCY IN N.S.W, REMARKABLE, FIGURES. SYDNEY, Nov. 10. The psychologist and the moralist /ill iind much of interest in the latst marriage statiistica of New South Vales and the majority will probbly welcome the sign that girls are rice again evincing a desire to mary early. The figures for 1927, just ompleted, show that xnarriago is not uly more popular, but the brides rave been much younger than was ho fashion during the preceding five r six years. Thus New South Yales has been keeping pace with in gland, where there has been a reat increase in boy and girl mariages. recalling the trend of the lid-Victorian period. In view of a population increase of 2,000 during 1927 the greater numer of marriages celebrated last ear, compared with 1926, was not urprising. But it was surprising to nd that more than a third of the ridegrooms last year, and many ■loro than half of the brides were blow the age of 24. Altogether, here were 20,052 marriages compard with 19,219 for the previous year, 'hero wag a great increase in the umber of marriages by both men nd women who had not attained the of 21, buf) the most popular ages opear to have been between 21 and 1. There were 6300 men and 7017 rls between those ages married in 127—68 more men and 2958 more ’rls than those who came under the ossification, between 25 and 29 aars. Of courso, theyo were some girls ho carried the early marriages tilery too far. At least some are bound o agree that that was so in the ase of six girls who were married dien they were 14 years of age. ’hen, again, there were 59 girls .ho were married at 15, and 300 c/t 16. The tendency seems to have icon for men to select younger (rides, a.s there were fewer younger jiridegrooms. 1 There were 717 girls narried at 17, and the numbers in:reased until the 24 year. period, •vhen they commenced to recede. )n the other side of the picture it s interesting to note that the eldest (ride was a widow of 87 who married i bachelor, and the oldest briderroom was 'B9. Five bridegrooms in ■927 were more than 80 years and ourteen brides had seen more than jeventy Summers. Many matrimonial adventures are anted at in the prosaio uniformity ,»f ‘the tabulated figures. Last year >ne divorced u man and one divorced nan re-niarried at the age of 20. , ’light widowers and 29 widows renamed before they reached the age ■>f 24, and one widow of 18, three if 19, and one of 2Q Were re-mar-ied. -