Correspondence.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 43, 16 August 1894, Page 2

Correspondence.

DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES BILL. TO THE EDITOE OF THE STAR. Sir, — My bowels do not yearn for you to " kindly forward marked copies of this " communication "to the Premier, the member for Rangitikei, and Captain Russell, leader of the Opposition," in fact " I don't want you to do no sich thing." All the same, though, I would like to make one oi two observations by way of reply to the two letters written by Mr George Wilks, dealing with the pro posed Bill for amending the existing law of Divorce. Unlike Mr Wilka, I do not endorse your expressed belief that " such a measure is in advance of public opinion and therefore unnecessary." That assumption is negatived by the fact that the laws of both New Wales and Victoria have been amended, whilst Bills similar to that which Mr Macgregor is initiating, have for at least three years past boon brought forward and discussed in Tasmania, Queensland, and South Australia. In England and France too, " public opinion " has long since .shown itself not only fully abreast of such measures, but several lengths ahead of them. I leave America out of tbo question ; and I do so because I hold the majority of her Divorce and Matrimonial Statutes in contempt and abhorence, for I believe in the eanctity of the marriage tie — up to a point consistent with humanity and common sense. All right-thinking men and women will agree with me, that the time has arrived when pro* longed desertion, systematic cruelty and neglect should be coupled with infidelity as just causes for dissolving that tie. Mr Wilks is evidently too conservative in his ideas to recognise the necessity for any such change, and would only welcome an amendment which would place women on the same equality with men in the present law of Divorce. In short, he apparently re-echoes the words of Victorian Chief Justice Madden, who speaking judicially on this subject some three months ago said : "Di voice should only be for meritorious people who have for a long tic\e endured wretchedness and misery." But judging from the tenour of Mr Wilks' letters, it is doubtful if he would agree even with Judge Madden, if unchastity were absent from the petitioner's depositions. Now it is a significant fact, that almost to a man and woman, those good people who oppose such measuses as Mr McGregor's, are those who are the least likely to be affected by tho Divorce laws existing or amended ! In other words, thjse who most bitterly resent any interference witb the present laws, are men and women who know little or nothing of the horrible misery, starvation, and suffering being: patiently endured by the many unfortunates whom such proposed alterations would benefit ! Their own married lot is a happy and comfortable one — as it should be in every case, but unhappily is not — and therefore in a spirit of utter selfishness they have no sympathy whatever with the thousands of others whose married existence is one continuous record of such human suffering and wretched ness as could only be experienced out of Hell itself. You may adduce hundreds of cases where poor unfortunate wives are slaving from morn till midnight, in support of their children and dissolute drunken idle brutes of husbanis; and at the same time, being cruelly and systematically ill used and beaten, until death comes as a welcome release to the patient long suffering victim. You may cite instances ad in/initum, of unfortunate husbands whose homes and children are persistently neglected by equally dissolute drunken and lazy wives. But n' vnporte i These opponents of reform quote " Whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." And they say " The marriage tie is a sacred one and nothing but death should severe it. Tho Tot of these unhappy people may be and undoubtedly is a pitiable one ; but they are married under God's holy law, and as they have made their beds so much they lie on them." Out upon such inhuman and fanatical reasoning ! And all honour to those Riggs and Macgregors who with all due regard to tho sanctity of the marriage ordinance, seek by legislative enactments to minimise fchia human misery and Buffering ! I am, etc., George E. Buntley. Feilding, August 15th. 1894.