Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am ar 15 Gorffennaf 1925.
Mr. STORRY-DEANS:
I support the appeal of the Mover of the Amendment, and I hope the Government will see their way to reconsider this matter before the Report stage. Anyone who has practised in the courts of law knows that there are two alternatives in this matter. If the husband and wife are a happy and united couple, then husband or wife will lie up to the hilt in order to get the other party off in court, and I agree with my hon. Friend that any husband or wife who would not do it would be a most despicable person. On the other hand, if the husband and wife do not agree, and are leading a life of disunion, and if one wants to get rid of the other—as occasion ally happens—then this Clause lends itself to a sort of matrimonial blackmail. That is the dilemma in which you are placed in cases of this sort, and it should cause the Government to reconsider their position. This Clause is not vital to the Bill. If it were I would not support the Amendment, but I think it expresses what I would call the departmental view, which is that you should obtain convictions. That is not my view. My view is that there are many things more important than punishing people for technical offences, and I appeal to the Government to reconsider the Clause.