The Press as a whole is scrupulously studious to avoid
bringing His Majesty's Judges into disrepute, but when His Majesty's Judges do that for themselves the self- discipline of the newspapers is of small avail. When Lord Justice Scrutton, in allowing an appeal against a decision of Mr. Justice McCardic's passed sonic strictures on the latter Judge's habit of delivering oracular discourses from the Bench on things in general and married life in parti- cular, most people felt that something that needed saying had been opportunely said. Sir Henry McCardie's rather belated reply, in the form of a declaration that he will not let Lord Justice Scrutton have his (Sir Henry's) notes in the case before him in the event of its going to appeal, coupled with the pontifical observation that he feels it necessary thus to rebuke a Judge in a higher Court, is derogatory mainly no doubt to its author personally, but brings some discredit at the same time on the whole Bench. The Lord Chancellor should make that clear to all concerned.
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