A DETERRENT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20285, 20 April 1934, Page 7

A DETERRENT.

Publicitv in Court Cases. DISCUSSION BY WOMEN. The admission of the general public to Courts in which “ domestic ” cases are tried caused a brisk discussion at this morning’s session of the National Council of Women. The subject was introduced by Miss Kirk, who moved the following remit on behalf of Wellington : •'That the National Council of Women of New Zealand urges that Magistrates* Courts in which domestic cases are being heard should be closed to the general public; that only necessary officials, recognised social workers and the Press be admitted.” “We should be very careful before we urge that any Court of Justice should be held in private,” said Miss E. Melville, of Auckland, herself a practising solicitor. “ Publicitv is one of the greatest deterrents. Domestic cases include divorce cases and separations, and it would be the greatest mistake to hush such cases up. Except in sensational cases the public are supremely indifferent, and in sensational matters publicity is not altogether undesirable. It would be better if the remit applied only to Children’s Courts.” A Handicap in Wellington. “ Well,” said Miss Kirk, “ I must congratulate Auckland on possessing a most uninquisitive public. In Wellington we suffer very* much from idle people who stand at the back of the Court, and when girls come up for affiliation cases, those people accost them afterwards. Often the girls are led even further astray. When young married people are unfortunate enough to have to air their troubles in Court, it often happens that their identity is noted and made the subject of comment in the streets. If such cases were private as far as the general public were concerned, but open to the Press and to social workers and officials, there would be no miscarriage of justice.” Miss Melville suggested that the remit should be referred back to Wellington, and that course was adopted.