DIVORCE IN BRITAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 126, 28 May 1914, Page 5

DIVORCE IN BRITAIN.

i AMENDING THE LAW | , LONDON. May 17. I The i.'\: h.i.- been i—iied of 1 ho lioreli • •Mrtlriiiioniil Cause. Kill i.he j re, ouimi?mliitii>ii~ of ihe Divorce Conimis. i !, ' I Tou.ir.li. t lie end of I!>U!> a Royal Coni--0 jmis.-ioii was appointed to inquire into v "the present. state of the law and the administration ihoroof ill divoroe and matrimonial causes, and Application for 'J separation orders, especially with regard to the. position of the poorer classes in relation thereto, and the subject of the publication of the reports of snen r-ause.s and applications. ■' Some of the jirir.cipal recommendations of rhe majority rev port were: — A I') The two sexes should bo placed on ;-jan equal footing a* regards any ground il j for divorce. nl i-i Kivc new grounds for divorre: (al i-JDcr-ertion for throe years; (bi cruelty d las definedi: (••■) incurable insanity after <1 rive \earo: i.ii habitual drunkenness a afUT three \"ar? from first Reparation g order: and iei inipri?onmeni under commutivl i11 , .i iii sentence. i,(i (iroundr for nullity of marriage Ito lie extended in five <\),4p> (including I insanity and epilepsy. H5 well other i type" of untune?.-), if sik-.li facts ;tre un- | known to the other party st the time of 1 nwrriaye. I i4i The i oiirt should have power to r. lT;iiH hii nrder ol presumption of death) ~. A I after pcvi'ii \f.ir~' alnxiiiur. tj iii The Hiph ( ourt -lionld hold sir- ] ,-. [ti tiirr- anil ixciiisc jurisdiction at every >. plaii' nh»h' there \$ a district registry „ of the Hi;ii (ourt. nil llesl rii-tion <m the publication of ii reporis of |>rori'edin<2>. rf The minority report nvxjm mended y. iha t l-iii- 1 of riivorep should not lop extended: but othrrwiw agreed. .generally with thp r»'.-oTn- t- ' uiendatinn- of tin , majorily report Hi to I ill the equal ri"hts of the ~exet ; rl'\ sthP additional ground*; for nullity of Ej marriage: loi tlie presumption of -leath io make a new marriage valid; (4) the prarticp in procedure. i;i general, but with certain exceptions leueh as the i proposed >übnirn-tion of a divorce for a n separation orderi: ioi the restrictions on publication. *| Jn .luJy last Sir U. Brynmor Jones .' introduced in the House of Ponmions a .jibil! havinc for it.- object the repeal ot r |the existing law and it* restatement in a lo |form embodring all the principal rettjni- ,, i mendations of the majority report. Oγmpr to the crowded nature of the session it nas not proceeded with.