BROKEN HEARTS

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19597, 8 June 1935, Page 14 (Supplement)

BROKEN HEARTS

Breach of Promise Suits in New York. Lost Their Cash Value. Advice by Judges.

A flourishing industry 'that for years has been providing handsomely for the old age of numberless attractive young women and buying little comforts for almost as many broadminded lawyers has received its death sentence in New York State. The breach of promise —or, to give It its most sceptical name, the "heart balm”—action is no more. From now on no woman in •the States of New York or Indiana (the Middle West thought of It first) will be able to claim monetary consolation for her wounded feelings from the man who has failed to marry her (says an exchange). For some years there has been a growing feeling in 'Great 'Britain against breach of promise actions, though they have never developed into the blackmailing propositions they aro in America. There are not quite so many clever gold-diggers, nor so many well-off men who are only too anxious to pay blackmailing prices out of court rather than have the undesirable (publicity of a suit.

Worked Under a Manager. Ft is just 'three years ago that a team of young beauties, working together in London under a manager, were run to earth as the principals in a lucrative breach of promise combine. The girls were doing very well out of getting tangled up with young men whose parents were gratifyingly ready to pay £IOO or so to get their youngsters out of the engagement. The settlements were all made out of court —the threat of an action being the blackmailing weapon. There is usually little sympathy for a man wtio brings a breach of promise action, though this is perhaps a very unfair prejudice, men commonly spending considerably more money than women in the progress of a courtship. A young man who has spent his salary on a girl for the dellnile understanding I hat he* was ‘‘treating” his future wife might perhaps bo .instilled in feeling the money had been wasted when she marries

THE FLATS. The rich young man had been buying land, hut. had been sadly duped by a rascally agenl. "Thai land you've bought is useless," said a friend. "IDs a dreary waste of eiiasl-land, Hie most desolate trad, of Hals."

"Ah. Hull’s il." said I lie oilier, "I propose to furnish 1 lie rials and lei them."

somebody else, though no such justification will prevent his looking a great "booh" when he brings bis complaint Into court.

For the pathetic type of woman who has suffered serious loss of money or work by being let down at the last moment there Is as yet no satisfactory substitute for the breach of promise case, and if the actions were confined to such cases of definite financial loss, breach of promise might lose its present unsavoury flavour.

There are still one or two perfectly bona fide oases in every law term: the middle-aged schoolteacher who gives up her job under promise ■of marriage and then finds herself without a husband, a job, and the best part of savings'. . . the woman who has, over an engaged period of five or six years, been spending her money on furnishings for a house which Is no use to her as a spinster at the end of it. Menace of the Racket. The mischief begins to creep into breach of promise only with the awarding of sentimental damages. That Is the real menace, Ihc menace that In America has developed into a racket •of the first magnitude and has finally closed the law courts In two States to this kind of petition. It is impossible to believe that a woman of any real pride can go into ■court to claim damages for her wounded feelings. The broken heart to which monetary damages arc certain balm Is too easily patched up to be above suspicion. Thirty years ago it was possible for a jilted woman to claim damages well worth her trouble. I think tho record in Great Britain is £50,000, contributed lo the broken heart of an actress. Judges have several times in tho last few years shown what they thought of sentimental damages by awarding the angry party the sum of one farthing, and telling her not to lie silly.

WHY NOT.? Jones: Would you mind lending me your book on gardening? . Smitii: Sorry, old man, but on principle I never lend books. Pop in and have a look at il some lime. Sniilli (a few days later): | say Julies, i wonder if I might borrow your mower? Jones: Frigid fully sorry, but I never i lend il. Win nul come around here j and use iff. '