24 APRIL 1926, Page 3

The strong conviction in the House of Commons 'that the

time has come to do something to restrict by legis- lation the publication of obscene -details froni thelaw Courts was demonstrated on Friday, April 16th, when the Bill standing in Major Kindersley's name was given 'a Second reading by the huge majority of 222 votes to 3. The Bill has passed through many vicissitudes, but in principle it is the Bill of which Sir Evelyn Cecil has for • years been recognized as author and sponsor. His • patience and courage deserve to be rewarded at last. The Bill deals with divorce proceedings and nullity suits. It allows publication only of the names and addresses of _the parties, a concise statement of the grounds on which the proceedings are brought, submissions on- points of law, the summing up, and the finding and judgment. Although w welcome the Bill and rejoice in the promise of support given by the Government, we do not deceive ourselves into thinking that the baser kind of newspaper is going henceforth to be free of those ugly defects which provoked the Bill.