THE BEGUM OF BHOPAL

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12357, 29 January 1926, Page 9

THE BEGUM OF BHOPAL

OPINION ON MARRIAGE. "Too much independence is not always good for women, and even to-day the highest use to wnich thejr can put iheir education is the upbringing of their children.” This dictum was laid down to a "Sunday Express” representative by her Highness the Begum of Bhopal, who is staying in square, writes our London correspondent. One of her first acts when starting to rule over Bhopal was to forbid the marriage of girls under fourteen years of age. "I believed that fourteen was quite soon enough for a girl to take up a wife’s responsibilities,” she said. “I also believed that girls should have sevfcn years at school. We started physical drill and English game© in the girls' schools, a© we believed this was good for the girls’ health.” Her Highness believes that many English women are doing very fine things, and that there are great advantages in their custom of choosing their own husbands, rather than having them chosen by their parents. ‘'“lt seems that many happy homes result from this.” she said, “but it is a custom we could not follow in our country, as the girls are too young and have seen too little of the world when they marry to bo able to choose wisely. Our way seems to do very well, too, and our homes are generally very happy. It is still considered a disgrace for a girl in my country to say she does not want to marry, but her mother will help her. If a girl tells her mother that she doe© not want to marry a man. her mother will say to her father: ‘lt is I who do not like him or do not approve of him, so he cannot marry our daughter.’ “A girl should not be obliged to marry a man she dislikes, but I think it is better for all women to be married. A woman can always exert great influence quietly.”