ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 30, 5 February 1900, Page 3

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(From Our London Correspondent.)

LONDON, December 22

THE NEVILLES AGAIN

LORD COWLEY'S 'j ACTITATION

SUIT

It appears altogether impossible for the Neville connection to keep out of the Courts. As fast as one case is decided another crops up—at lea,st that is how it seems to us. The most j recent instance is the suit of JactitaI tion brought, by the estimable Lord jCowley against the lady who divorced him in 1897, nee ' Lady Violet Neville. Though the latter "has married again she clings to her precedence las an earl's wife, and persists in calling herself Countess of Cowley. To this the ear] (alleged to have matrimonial intentions himself) very naturally objects, and remonstrances public and private having failed he sought on Friday the only remedy left him. It would seem that if a lady who has been divorced persists in describing herself as the wife of the man who divorced her she is liable to be sued for "jactitation of marriage," though whether the court could give any other remedy than a mere injunction may be doubted. But, on the. other hand, Lord Hannen long ago laid it down as law that a lady who obtains a divorce is entitled to retain her married name, though one who has been divorced must revert to that which she bore before marriage. The singularity of the Cowley case is that the lady, having- obtained the decree, would certainly be entitled to be called Lady Cowley "still only that she has married again. It is of course i this second marriage which makes the whole difficulty in the case, and counsel was obliged to take the court back to 1001 to consider the case of Lady Saere who, having married a commoner, was declared by the House of Lords to have lost her privileges as a peeress. Whether that decision really carries the matter any further we should not like to,, say, especially since Mr Justice Barnes who reserved judgment evidently did not regard it as conclusive. It would seem, however, that the lady might continue to call herself Lady Cowley if she could obtain the sanction of the Crown, since in a matter of this, sort we can- j not imagine any authority which I would override that of the Sovereign'! the Fount of Honour. I imagine there j is not the smallest chance of the Queen interfering.