“WANTED A WIFE!"

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2571, 4 August 1909, Page 3

“WANTED A W IFE !"

ABOUT MATRIMONIAL ADVERr

TISEMENTS. The sensational statement by Mr Rule at Christchurch in regard to The character of men advertising for wives led to an Auckland' pressman making some inquiries as to lioav those statements Avould apply to Auckland. The result Avas on the Avholo fairly comforting.

The superintendent of the Door of Hope, Mrs Hutchison, spoke Avarmly in support of Mr Rule’s remarks. “Advertisements of the kind,” she declared, ‘‘‘might easily lead simple girls into the arms of wicked and unscrupulous men. 1 have kuoAvn cases whore marriages have taken place after the man and Avomen have been brought together by advertisement, and I do not know of a single instance in which those marriages have proved successful. In two cases I have known the unhappy wives to he deserted. Of the actual duping of Avomen by., this means I have not heard of any vise in Auckland, but in the big cities of Australia there have been instances of the kind. A man avho is vicious enough to do Avhat has been done in Christchurch Avould keep on committing the same grievous wrong like the burglar or the forger, whom the police knoAV will never .adopt any hut their own special branch of crime. With such men as these it becomes a mania, and frequently when I have seen the advertisements I have felt inclined to Avrife and warn those who might bo tempted to trust themselves with men they have never previously knoAvn, and whose intentions may not bo honorable towards them.”

Adjutant Gunn, of the Salvation Army, stated that during his experience in Auckland he bad never come across a case similar to those referred to by Mr Rule, and be was inclined to think that the Christchurch missioner had been exaggerating a little when he stated that a considerable number of AA’omen were iioaa’ bearing the brand of shame as a result of one man’s advertising for a Avife. Tho adjutant considered, hoAveA r er, that - there Avas a certain element of dlinger about this method of seeking a husband on the part of Avomen who anSAvered the advertisements.

Adjutant Tillett, of the Salvation Army Rescue Home, Parnell, stated that only one ease of a marriage which bad been the outcome of the matrimonial advertisement was known to her. In that instance the marriage had been a hopeless failure, and for eleven years the man and AA-oman had been compelled to live .apart, the man during that time paying regularly for the Avoman’s support. The Rev. W. Gray Dixon, Avlien interviewed, smilingly remarked that the people of his congregation Avero so eminently respectable that the possibility of such* things had never been thought of. Speaking -seriously, hovvever, the minister of St. David's said that it could not be considered surprising that, such a revelation had been made. One AA'ould naturally expect people to be suspicious about matrimonial advertisements. Some people were eccentric and peculiar, and possibly the shyness of some men led them to in all sincerity advertise, but the principle he regarded as a bad one, and though he had never heard a case in Auckland similar to those in Christchurch, lie thought no harm could result from trying to (put people on their guard against possible deception. Mr Rule, Mr Gray added, Avas some time ago an assistant of his, and had charge of Ed end ale.

The Rev. J. Wilson, of the Auckland Central Mission, said| lie had not experienced anything so deplorable in Auckland as Mr Rule had unearthed in Christchurch, but lie felt that it Avas a most undesirable thing that men and women should meet and marry without any actual knowledge of one another. “My experience in the big cities of Australia makes me believe that Mr Rule is on the right track,” said Mr Wilson, “but bad as the matrimonial advertisement may be we have reason to be thankful that we have no matrimonial bureaux in New Zealand like they have in Sydney and Melbourne. There they will marry you, provide the ring, and find witnesses, all for 10s fld. My experience of the matrimonial bureau was that it was a most unmitigated evil. A woman could drag a man off the street in a state of inebriation into -one of these places, and the man would sober up to find himself confronted with a wife who would wave in his face a dulywitnessed marriage certificate. It is gratifying to find that th,o Victorian Parliament is at last taking steps to bring in special legislation to deal with these bureaux.”.

A police official to whom the subject was referred said: “Bad as the matrimonial advertisement is, the facilities that are given under New Zealand law lor the licensing of persons to perform marriages are a much more prolific source of trouble to the police. .A. man can come to New Zealand, and no matter wliat his past record may have been lie can become a legalised clergyman if he finds a dozen followers who will swallow his beliefs ,and accept him as their high (priest.” The marriage law upon this question shows how easy it is for any person desiring to become a “reverend” clothed with the legal power to perform marriages to get a license. Section ID of the Marriage Act reads: “Any minister of religion not connected with any of the bodies enumerated in the third schedule (giving the recognised religious bodies), who furnishes to the Registrar-General a certificate signed by the recognised head in New Zealand- of the religious body to which ho belongs, or by .two duly recognised ministers of such bodies, or by ten adult members thereof who append to their signatures their description as being such members declaring such minister as their officiating minister, shall be entitled to have his name inserted in the list of officiating ministers within the meaning ef the Act.” The result is that persons may obtain authority to perform marriages who never ought to bo entrusted with such an important privilege.