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Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1717, 26 May 1886, Page 2

..'■■"By "bur qabiegraiH^.it will be seen that the Deceased Wife's Sister Bill, as it is .pppniarly ...called, has been rejected by the Jiouse of Lords by a majority of /twenty-two. Wo never could Unddr.7 "stand the olijectiou to this Bill by ary "section of the people. To our mind, there is nothing tenable iv the alleged repulsive or objectionable sur'roundin.gs, ,or ulterior consequences attaching to marriage "with" a deceased "wife's sister. In the session of 1880 th« New Zealand Legislature passed the Bill, which is both prospective and retrospective m its application, and no doubt many happy marriages with a deceased wife's sister have taken. place since, they have been legalised. In our opinion the Legislature should encourage marriage! instead of placing obstruction^ m its way; and thus virtually tempting peoplo to live m sin. Howevery them is this alternative' for those who wish to contract marriage with , their deceased wife's sister at Home, but cannot do so, because of the peculiar idiosyricrncies of fhe Upper House. Let them come ont to New Zealand, where no such foolish •obstruction exists, get married, and live here happilyever afterwards. If .they wait at Home till the Upper House, is sensible .enough ,, to. yield to xmblic opinion m this matter, they will wait for ever. New Zealand is : a ißtep m advance of the Mother Country m this, as m. many .of her social matters, and has passed a'.'wiSe' -and •. 1 necessary law. that Gre*t/..£jMlrtijrf,' With 'her' conservative nonsense, her fads about morality, and her antiquated code of ethics, religious and;social|has persistently refused to rtcoguisey Her Legislature strains nt gnats, aud swallows camels. Recognises legalised^ vice, but holds up her hands m pious horror when a man. pr«fers to marry.his deceased wife's sister to the alternative of illicit intercourse.