30 Timehri. 



spent iu amusing herself in patting on her ornaments an<l adorning her- 

 self. The poor women have their household duties to perform, their 

 curries and sweetmeats to make to please their husbands. They have a 

 ■ rood deal of time on their hands which is spent in sauntering and talking 

 for ever, talking — possibly scandal. 



The same costumes that were in vogue 200 years ago are in vogue 

 now. There are no fashion plates to consult ; no milliners' heavy bills to 

 be dreaded. And we believe that ladies in India do not continually run 

 to their husbands to complain that they " have nothing to put on." 



But surely the very fact that a woman was the Sovereign Empress of 

 India, must do a great deal to better woman's position. The Queen* 

 Empress Victoria, is already worshipped in India as a deity ; let us hope 

 that the people will soon desist in this but learn from Victoria's life what 

 is the true position of woman, of a wife 



The marriage customs of this colony are in several points like those 

 of India. We have noticed one difference particularly. The bride does 

 not bring a dowry, but her husband frequently has to make handsome 

 presents to her parents to obtain their consent and several parents hope 

 to live on their son-in-law. 'J his is owing to the scaicity of women. 



The marriages in this colony are performed by JBrahmans according 

 to the Hindu law but the coolies themselves prefer to be married by a 

 Christian minister, not because they believe the marriage to be more 

 binding in a religious point of view, but because they hope that by being 

 so married their wives may not be enticed away. They desire to be 

 married " English fashion.'" The question arises are the marriages 

 performed by the Christian ministers valid, in point of law. in the case of 

 immigrants who are heathen!' We unhesitatingly reply in the negative. 

 In the first place, the heathens are made to go through a service in the 

 name of the Most Holy Trinity, in whom they do not believe. Secundly, 

 Ordinance Xo. 10 of 1860 was passed "for the due celebration and 

 registration of the marriage of heathen immigrants " no minister of any 

 denomination, therefore has any business to ma>ry heathen immigrants 

 on the face of this Ordinance. 



According to the English law it is necessary "in order to constitute 

 a valid marriage that the parties must be able to contract, willing lo 

 contract, and must actually contract in the proper forms and solemnities 

 required by law to be observed. For Christians the Order in Council 

 of September 7th, 1838, is still in force. We maintain that, apart from 

 the mocker y of performing a service which is to make the contracting 

 parties act a lie, these marriages are not valid. Possibly at some future 

 date some important case may be brought forward which will shew that 

 we arc right in the interpretation of the law. 



(a) There are now several centres throughout the colony which enable 

 our heathen coolies to marry before a magistrate or other civil authority 

 after giving proper notice. 





