TIME LIMIT FOR DIVORCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 76, 10 January 1949, Page 2

TIME LIMIT FOR DIVORCE

Australian Judge’s Suggestion COMMENT GENERALLY NOT FAVOURABLE (Air Mail) BRISBANE. As a remedy to the increasing rate of divorce in Australia, Mr Justice Brennan suggested recently that divorces should not be granted until parties had been married for seven years. As an alternative, he said divorces should be banned entirely in Australia. Church, law, and medical representatives have expressed opposition to the proposal for a seven-year wait.

A divorce court barrister said: “I doubt whether the prospect of having to wait seven years for a divorce would deter anyone from getting married. In most cases people get married because they feel in love. The opinion we take generally is that once a home breaks up there is little chance of reconciliation.”

A psychiatrist :\ “The main thing to remember is the bad effect on the development of children caused by disharmony in the home. Any measures which -would keep tied together parents hopelessly incompatible would be harmful to children. The sevenyear proposal has nothing' to recommend it, and has potentialities for great harm.” 1 President of the National Council of Women: “No one can draw an arbitrary line about when a marriage may be dissolved. The only way .to check the divorce rate is by education for marriage. People are not educated or prepared for marriage. Some of these marriage guidance clinics may , be a help. Divorce laws throughout, the Commonwealth should be uniform.” Church of England Marriage Guidance Council: “Because of the oaths taken, and the promises made, the Church of England does not favour divorce. When disharmony occurs, the main effort should be centred on conciliation, and this is the work our guidance council undertakes. _ We are not interested in a time limit for divorce.”