GETTING PRETTY LAX'

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1526, 23 August 1912, Page 6

GETTING PRETTY LAX'

♦ DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS. POINTED COMMENTS By A JUDGE. "Our divorce proceedings are getting pretty lax; but they must not be allowed to yet like I hey nro in Chicago, where tho train waits ion minutes for a divorce. We arc not as bad as that, but we are going that way." This was a remark made by Mr. Justice Edwards during tho hearing of a divorce petition yesterday. His Honour at this singe was delivering a mild rebuke to a witness, wlio was giving evidence in rather off-hand stylo, and who appeared to bo under tho impression that the learned Judge was not desirous of taking full notes. During the hearing of other petitions, his Honour made some very interesting remarks. On more than ono occasion he spoko very sharply to witnesses, who appeared to treat tho proceedings with a certain, degree of levity. Man who Began with a Laugh. A petitioner who was asked why his wife" had left him began his answer with a faint laugh. "This is 110 joke," 6aid his Honour, and when he had finished admonishing tho petitioner, the latter certainly bore no appearance of having ever raised a laugh during tho past twelve months. Tho game petitioner told his Honour that ho had no means—no money—to attempt to bring his wife back when, elie left him three years ago. This caused the Judge to refuse an application for costs at tho end of the case. 1 never allow costs in a caso like this," lie said, "This man has left his wife a derelict upon society for three and a half years. He has no cause to complain if another man takes her. Ho has abandoned her to the world. Knowing these circumstances, I never grant costs, and I never will." "This Man Knows— In another ease, his honour said: "No costs will be allowed. This man knows that his wife has gone 'away with his children to another man. He leaves the ro-respondent to support his children for two years, and doesn't ask for divorce until it suits him. Even now, 110 doesn't ask for his children. Obviously he doesn't want the children." It was somewhat significant tliat in n later case tho petitioner, who, his Honour said, appeared to bo rather glad to get rid of his wife, made' no application for costs. Another Petitioner Dealt With. A male petitioner, whose evidence went 111 the direction of placing the bar sinister 011 one of tho children, was quickly stopped. Parents, said his Honour, were not allowed to bastardise their children in Iml ' aw provided that all children wore legitimate so long as' the parents continued lo live together. As to whether habitual drunkenness was clearly proi*ed in one case, hie Honour expressed some doubt. He lmd, ho staled, to kcop within tho requirements of tho Jaw in such cases. He did not wish to place any impediment in the way of petitioner (tho wife) to provent her'from get--1? 1 release which she desired, and which she ought to have. But if legislation were passed tightening tho bonds it was uot his fault. "When you do pet a bonoficial enactment—quite tiy accident" continued his Honour, "it is repealed, as was done recently, in consequence, l'understand, of a joke unfortunately made by one of my learned brothers. It was a thousand pities, because that enactment was productive of nothing but good." The case m which his Honour made the,comment was adjourned.