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North Otago Times, 5 August 1903, Page 4

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DIVORCE IN ENGLAND. The civil judicial statistics for 1901 show onco more how increasingly numerous are the failures iu marriage. Tho separations orders in 1893 were. 825, or 2.77 per ■ 100,000 of population. In 1897 the figures had increased to 17.81, | and in 1901 to 22.47. Durham seems' to be the most matrimonially unhappy county in the country. The ■ proportion of separation ordors is 48 per 100,000; in Lancashire,*4o. London is bettor behaved, for it is listed as low as 18 per 100,000. In Blackburn and Bolton there was the high record of 98 per 100,000, Leeds 62. Petitions' for judi- 1 clal separation liavo been almost stationary for six yearn. Petitions for divorce liavo increased. Military officers, 1 soldiers and sailors are prominent fig-; uras in this part of tho returns. Even! journalists rank high among the divorce: statistics. " ' '? ' !

Another subject connected with di-j vorce proceedings is attracting atteu-i tion, namely, tiio troublo that arose! over tho remarriage of Mr W. K. Van-' dorbilt. Tho strictures of the Bishop! of London nipon all and sundry who' took part in that ceremony havo not! passod without challonge. His lordship! Was especially severe upon Dr. Tris-j tram, his own Diocesan Chancellor, and; Dr. Tristram has retaliated with a! vigorous defonce. Ho shows clearly that' it is obligatory upon tym, undir tho] Divorco Act, to grant licenses for the] remarriage of divorced persons; that snoh persons are entitled to the use of tho parish church for tho oolebration of their marriage by the minister of the parish, or, if ho should object, by. any clergyman entitled and willing to officiate. ■{§ Dr. Tristram added that mnny complaints had been made of the clergy refusing to pffiointc, or to provide a minister, for the marriage of innocont_ and successful parties in divorco suits, or even to pormit tho ohurches to bo used for that purpose. In such casos, ho had advised the complaining persons to obtain a mandamus against the clergyman for damages. A. mora remarkable feature of Dr. Tristram's statoineut related to what he described-as "an organised system of intimidation" to prevent the remarfiage of divorced persons. Private detectives are employed to learn whon Hid where such marriages are to take placo, and the brido*or bridegroom, jr their.friends, are informed that a protest will be publicly lodged hy some'ono attending tho ceremony. Dr. Tristram added that tho "nuisance" had become so serious at tho London' Registry that he had given orders that no information was to bo afforded to strnngors, and no access bo allowed to papers connected with' divorco licenses, without an order from himself,

Tliero have been two or three divorce suits of more tlinn usual note. Lady. Cowoll-Stepnoy, who has been living apart from her husband since 1876, has obtained a judicial separation. For over 25 years Sir Arthur Oowell-Step-noy has laboured under somo strange illusions about his wifo, and, though writing Civil letters to iysr, ho would Hover re&ido with her, Ho some time ago naturalised hfmself as an American, and lately'married a lady in % States. Hfe English wifo has now oh. tained a judicial separation, whioh was jjtiob resisted.