‘WHY ARE THEY BACHELORS?’

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 199, 6 August 1928, Page 6

‘WHY ARE THEY BACHELORS?’

ENGLAND'S BISHOPS. WOMAN NOVELIST’S CONDEMNATION. I United Press Association—By Cable— Copyright.) (Ajstrqliao and N.Z. Press Assn.) London, Aug. 4. The Bishop of Norwich, aged 65 years, announces his engagement to Joan Ryder, aged 25 years, who has been acting as his secretary for the last few months. Interest is added to the announcement by the wide publicity lately given to the fact that there are nine bachelor bishops in England—namely, those of Norwich, London (who recently visited Australia and New Zealand), Southwark, Truro, Ripon, Worcester, Oxford, Salisbury, and finally, most significant of all. the Archbishop elect of Canterbury.

Winifred Graham, the novelist (Mrs Theodore Cory), entering a public discussion hereanent, said: “Bachelorhood is a disease that is spreading. The Church is setting a bad example, and some protest must be made. Why are they bachelors? If they think marriage handicaps Career or intellectual development, why are the bishops always the first to cry ‘Hands off the home’ and talk of the sancity of home life and advocate large families? “What foolish creatures these bishops are I A bachelor has no one to point out his faults, and no one but a wife dare tell him that his sermons are overlong or that he is vain and pompous.”