“LOVE DAY” PLAN OF RECONCILIATION IS URGED BY JUDGE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6814, 18 January 1929, Page 2

“LOVE DAY” PLAN OF RECONCILIATION IS URGED BY JUDGE

80 PER CENT. OF CASES COULD BE SETTLED OUT OF COURT.

Speaking at Manchester, Sir Edwarci Parry, a former county court judge, suggested a revival of tho ancient custom of “agreeing with thine adversary quickly,.”, .and of establishing “love day” for litigants. ‘‘At present, he said, ‘‘the expense of litigation is °ut of reach of poor people. There should bo a ‘love dav’ and parties should appear before the’judgo, no money having previously changed hands, and the judge could settle SO per cent, of the eases and make the parties shako hands. ‘‘l like the phrase ‘love day.’ My idea of conciliation is that we should set iu motion a machine before the issue of a writ and tho piling up of costs.” Estimating that about 10s in the pound, recovered in county courts, went in fees and costs, he asserted that if, as a county court judge, he could have got at the' poor people before -they hacl spent a penny, he could have settled 75 to 80 per cent of the cases. Sir Edward referred to the method

of conciliation as practised in ScandL navian and other countries, and recalled the “love day” for small disputes in the ancient English manorial and borough courts. • - '