DIVORCE ACT AMENDMENT

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28911, 3 June 1959, Page 11

DIVORCE ACT AMENDMENT

Inquiry Sought (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 2. “The laws of the land are gometimes altered without apparent justification,” said Mr E. H. Rhodes, chairman of directors of New Zealand Newspapers, Ltd., in his annual report to shareholders. He advocated an inquiry by the Minister of Justice (Mr Mason) about the effects of the amendment made in 1958 to the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, concerning which Mr Justice Turner spoke in March last to the Federation of New Zealand Justices. “In his address,” said Mr Rhodes, “his Honour said the Courts of the land vwe now watching with grave anxiety the working out of the amendment, which restricts the publication of divorce proceedings to more or less formal particulars, the Judge’s summing-up and the result of the case. He pointed out that the provision in the amendment allowing the Court in its discretion to authorise publication in the press of any other particulars, subject to such conditions relating to any matter published as it thinks fit. is, in practice, ineffective and meaningless. “His Honour in this address was not concerning himself with the interests of the newspapers, but with the interests of justice. He affirmed that where the public interest demands freedom to publish, then that interest should transcend the private interest of litigants.” For some reason it was easy to legislate restrictively, said Mr Rhodes, but it was always hard to secure the removal of the restrictions. “Nevertheless, it is to be hoped that the Minister of Justice will deliberately inquire into the practical effects of this amendment because, in Mr Justice Turner’s words, there are grave dangers in the tendencies which may have •been encouraged by it.”