DIVORCE IN ENGLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 205, 28 August 1909, Page 11

DIVORCE IN ENGLAND.

.' Special correspondent.) ' . r LONDON. July Iβ. i One o£. Englande. most glaring anoma« ljes; Iβ the Divorce (Court. All divorce i ctm.es dealt with ; under-;.".English law, must be brought to London for trial* They.;cost £40•or £50 at the very teiwt,:- ; and . generally; far : more. Of • number-of witnesses have to be brought iup from , the country to London, .; and; maintained there While' the .case ',».■ on, :■:/; J the expenses mount'- up> »t an alarming people can, spare the money, and the 'time; required .-to , triiyj.i a case before the .Divorce J3mnt,;buf " it :»;■ out, of the- quee- , ; ...-.: tibn. Thni the .effect of the ljiw Sβ-ft*.>■ : discriminate between xlch and. boot, to the greet disadvantage of the latter. Rich people 'can ■ afford .divorce; pooc people must bo with judicial 'separations...-i *..*: ■■.".:."....,. .....-,..._,.! .-- The question of. how to, make. divprae easier . and cheaper. for the working classes was raised in . the House of Lords this.-week byLord Qorell, bettoe known aa Mr. Justioe Oiarell "-'■ Barnes (P*eeident~bf the "Divorce"tS)urt)"r^Hβ moved the following resolution:—"Thati it Iβ expedfeht that jurisdiction.' to « limited extent in divorce and matrimon* ial cases should be conferred npoa County Courts, in order that thepooreg classes may have their cases of that nax ture heard and determined in sucM Courts." Lord Gorell told the Hbua* thathe received a large number of let* ters from working men, in whose house* ■■■,■: holds there had been trouble, bat wh», in.the; present 'state- of' lew, 'were An barred from the relief given by owing" to the fact that all divorce eaatf •■ have to be heard in London. "SlwJI run, said hia Lordship, "something likji ;■■ this:— „ -„ ■ ' ..:.,.,. ., ..i .;. "1 an*. ' * poor, working man. . Mjfj : wife has chosen go away with; an* other man.'' I cannot /get the money. «X the time off," and I- cannot lose my place, V and, .therefore, I am debarred from divorce.' : .; . ;..; "'..'■" . "My \Lords, '.It Iβ not pleasant, ,, saU| the great Divorce Judge, "to receive let* ters of that kind. ! "In/ many cases when there are the conditions for divorce, but no leisure ta-xome right tolLondoit" from'ia. dli* tance, and no money to fight the caeeV , Lord .Gorell, "some of the .partlee commit bigamy, because they can- gef no remedy in the Gourt." With great emphasis and in measured tones, LorA Gorell added:—. ' .i "If the.effect of drink could be abeV ished altogether, the Divorce M3putl might close its doors.". The ex-President weit into the qnettion of separation orders. These could be obtained all over the country, while divorce could only be obtained in London. He waited divorce' to bej obtainable in a large number of countiryi Courts all; over the country, toe. "Beritaanerit separation encourages im» inbraiity," declared Lord Gorell. - \'As soon as the Lord Chancellor had Tiead" the: resolution to the House, the ■ Archbishop of Canterbury strode briskly to- the table, and attacked the res»- ---' lution. "We-should be acting with supreme unwisdosn. were -we 'to.pass .this I 'resolution/';"said the' Archbishop: ''Quite .' : apart; from the great of prin- ! rciple, which is indirectly raised, we 1 should not.;;gain.by the proposal the ; ehdr which the noble and learned lord 1 has; in view." s 1 The • resolution was not voted on, '•■ for -Lord j Gorell' it when the ; Lord Chancellor promised a Govern- • ment inquiry on'tha subject. There i* '. Teason "to hope that .this will result.-ia "the machinery of divorce; being remod« • elled in the direction :in;dicated. :; by Lord ' Goreii. I feel snreVthat in this inattet • the Archbishop of 'Canterbury is-' out r. of toUci:witli tfie tin Mi .; "- • i ■■.v. ■.; ■■•\>u. ? :'•■■"■■■■. ■ :.- : v.:",' ■ '