"A BLOW TO MORALITY."

Taranaki Daily News, 26 May 1920, Page 5

"A BLOW TO MORALITY."

REPEAL IN THE DIVORCE LAW. j By felefiaph.—Pre.*-: Association. ■ Wellington, Last Night. In the Divorce Court to-day, Mr. Justice Edwards was again prompted to r express his regret at the repeal of the ( law which made failure to obey an Witt tot restitution of conjugal rights constitute a ground for divorec. Tke origin of the movement for the repeal is traceable to a remark made onee by the late Mr- Justice Denniston tn the Supreme Court at New Plj»- , mouth. Counsel was about to open a case, in which the restitution of conjugal rights was the main question, when his Honor observed: "Go on with the farce, Mr. —-." This utterance led to the widespread opinion that divonee by way of proceedings for the restitution "of . conjugal fights was a farce, and the legislature barred the way to further "farces" of the kind. It has been contended that tinee the repeal there is a danger that ' married 1 persons, who are no longer cohabiting a 9 man and wife, may be induced to accept misconduct as the only Way ont. "I repeat what I said on a former nwasion." said Mr. Justice Edwards today. "The repeal of the provisions in the divorce law to which I have referred was a blow to morality. The remark made by Mr. Justice Dennteton was inMutieus, and I can now say from my lent upon the bench that no one regretted more than. Judge Denniston himself the fact that he had made that itetutions remark, and that it had led to the repeal of provisions which his Honor recognised quite as folly as I do tttfe rathe interests of morality. I do " not speak of what I do not know; I ■Male of pergonal conversation with Mr. Denniston and other judges—certainly tome of them—upon this very matter."