MARRIAGE MORALS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 283, 19 August 1918, Page 7

MARRIAGE MORALS

DIVORCE JUDGE'S VIEWS. Delivering a considered judgment iu a. soldier's divorce suit in London in which both sides were proved to have committed misconduct, the soldier asking that discretion might bo exercised in his favour, Jlr. Justice- M'Cardio said ho woe under no .illusion as to what would follow tho refusal of a decree nisi. Tho petitioner no doubt would continue to live with the woman, nud the wife and tho co-respondent would still go on living together. By tho granting of a decree- tho immorality of these four people would be replaced by lawful niarviago and lawful children. It might well be that the matrimonial laws of this country called for reform. Hut all tho Court could do was to administer the law ne it stands. Tho principle laid down was based on the requirements of public morality. Tho Court had to vindicate a high standard of patrimonial morality, tho enforcement of which would create a standard that all might know and find it well to follow. Far better that occasional hardship should exist than that the permanent and supremo requirements of matrimonial morality should be relaxed. Guided by the authorities on the subject and influenced by considerations of publia morality, he dismissed the I petition.