Marriage at Gretna Green Marriage at Gretna Green as the
.sequel to adventurous elopements has romantic possibilities of which many lovers. of fiction may regret to be deprived. But it has its drawbacks, serious drawbacks, to which Sir Godfrey Collins, , the Secretary for Scotland, has been calling attention. Indeed he proposes to appoint a com- mittee to inquire into the marriage law of • Scotland, amt to ascertain what changes, if any, ought. to be made to remedy such irregularities as those which have hccome notorious at Gretna Green. No doubt there. are occasions; when stern guardians are wrong and runaway couples are right ;. but this is not enough to justify :it Gretna Green procedure which would be invalid anywhere in England. . Marriage • in Scotland is legal if it has the mutual consent of the two Parties and one of them has been resident in Scotland for the 21 preceding days. At Gretna Green marriage ceremonies are sometimes performed in • which even the legal qualification of residence is disregarded ; • and registration is often neglected.. It is.. clear that there is a strong ease for inquiry and subsequent legislation.
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