Mr. Herbert's Divorce Bill Mr. A. P. Herbert is to
be congratulated on the emergence of his Marriage Bill (more commonly known as his Divorce Bill) from the Committee stage, not indeed unscathed, if the revised version is compared with the original, but improved in some respects by its ordeal, and with all that is essential in it surviving. It is a notable achievement for a private member to have carried so contentious a measure so far, and the Government, which has shown itself by no means unsym- pathetic, may reasonably be pressed to afford facilities for the passage of the Bill into law. During the last stage of committee discussion on Tuesday a valuable clause designed to put an end to obvious collusion, and the familiar and reprehensible " hotel-divorce " procedure, was accepted by Mr. Herbert, assented to by the Solicitor-General and added to the Bill. In its present form the Bill opens no flood-gates. It actually falls short of the very reasonable proposals of the Royal Commission on Divorce. The House of Commons will do more to maintain decent family life by passing than by rejecting it.
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