KISSING THE BOOK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 31, 2 March 1909, Page 4

KISSING THE BOOK.

PROTESTS IN ENGLAND. ANCIENT ALTERNATIVE OVER x LOOKED. London, January 15. There Jias been a long discussion on that relic of barbarism, the kissing of an of tea filtliy, disoase-laden Bible by persons desirous of telling the truth. At tiie opening of the session of the Divorce Court on Tuesday, the President (Sir Gorell Barnes) made the followiud statement: '• As probably 'every one knows, the Oaths Act, 1888 (51 and ■>2, Vict., c. (j, section 5) provides that ' If any person to whom an oath in administered desires to swear with uplifted hand, in tlie form and manner in which an oath is usually administered in Scotland, he shall be permitted so to do, and the oath shall be administered to him in such form and maimer without further question.' Now, some years ago I took the trouble to obtain a form of oath in simple form as was usual in Scotland. The form uas been published 111 this court, I think, for several years now, and tlie notices are conspicuously exhibited on both sides of the court in the following form, which is, I believe, correct according to Scots law : 'Notice to Witnesses.—lf any person to whom an oatli is administered desires to swear with uplifted hand, in the form and manner in which an oath is usually administered in Scotland, he or she is permitted to do so. The following form of oath may be used : I swear by Almighty Cod that I will speak the truth, the Whole truth, and nothing but the truth. —Hy order, 25th February. 11)02.' Nothing could be more effective or more simple, and, although those notices have been exhibited foTOome years in a very conspicuous position, it is remarkable that practically nobody takes advantage of the information wliicli those notices eon\ ey, probably because whea people come into Court their minds are not on anything else but the case, and they accept the oatli as it is presented to I them ill the ordinary way. Well, now another step was also taken which has heen a mutter of public comment. I' had provided a number of Testaments, which are specially bound in covers which permit of repeated cleansing, and that operation lias been habitually attended to by the officials of tlvc courtly and so far as it was possible in the ordinary way nobody could object in any way. still, I have thought that, h order to meet the objection whidi is felt i;i certain quarters, it would lie desirable that every witness sliould have his or her attention called to what he or she may do at the time when the oath is about to be administered. Therefore, in addition to the notices which arc posted up in the court, I have given instructions that both in this court, and _ in the court in which Mr ■lustico Bargrave Deane presides, the officer administering the oath shall ask the witnesses if they desire to be sworn in tlie Scotch form, and, if so, they shall take the oatli in Scotch form."