Lady Jeune and the Marriage Tie.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5333, 10 August 1895, Page 4

Lady Jeune and the Marriage Tie.

<a Perhaps no Eaglishwoinan is better qualifled to discuss the marriage question aa it now preaents itself to us than the wife of the presiding Judge of the Divorce Court ; and her review 4 of the marriage outlook, though not strikingly new or original, is well worth hearing. She recognises the very patent fact; that "there is a weariness and a difficulty in the matrimonial marfret/' but she is obliged to own her inability to discover any reason for it. Perhaps it may lie, alia sayß, in the fact that our standard of comfort has risen, or in the more encouraging fact that the girls of to-day are growing more exacting aB to the character and morals of the men who aspire to marry them. But, no matter what the reason may be, it is certain that there are fewer marriages. It is jnat aB certain, too, that "all healthy-minded girls and women seem! to be quite aB much interested in the question as were their grandmothers." It is this fact probably that makes Lady Jeune write as optimistically as she does on the future of marriage- " That it ia a failure," she sayß, " we utterly deny. The figures of the divorce court show that the number of marriages which are dissolved is not increasing, and though we hear on many sides of la femme incomprise, we must take the authority to which she would resort for relief as the best source of information aB to her unfortunate position." Lady Jeune is vigorous in her condemnation of the New Woman's attitude towards marriage, though what that attitude may be we have no indication save what we can gather from Lady Jeune herself. She evidently thinks the New Woman has no conception of the refining or spiritual elements of love, and accuses her of being somewhat less than woman, since to her "no feeling of constancy, affection or gratitude is possible." Well, we have not met a New Woman yet, so we cannot agree or disagree with our authority as to these defects of the genus. But if the New Woman thinks, ac Lady Jenne suggests, that the conjugal customs and intimacy of English married life are fatal to happiness, why then the sooner the New Woman becomes old or extinct the better. ______ ________ Montkcililo Minstrels. — The Montecillo Minstrel Company gave a performance at the Foresters' Hall, Eiohmond, on Thursday evening. There was a good house, and Bfeveral of the eongs were cached.

I DEATHS. Gbouxdtvateb.— August 8, at her late residence, Bowen Street, Sydonham, Jane Groundwater, beloved mother of Daniel Gunn ; aged seventy. two years. Belfast papers please copy. Palaibbt. — August 0, at "Woo&ham, Avonside, Jane, widow of the late John Gwalter Palairat ; in her eighty-fourth year.