DIVORCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 64, 15 March 1916, Page 8

DIVORCES.

..■/- ' -•,, " r A YEAR'S RECORD. V (Special to "Star.") -Wellington; this day. \ The changes in the Jaw in 1898 maddivorcemueh easier in New Zealand and a prompt rise in the divorce' rate'was the result. High figures have kept up S-ET' i ateSt r ' 6 "tun,,* published; in the Year Beok, showinff a record They .relate to the y ea t lf U and show that there were 290 petitions', and that 234 decrees were Vanted Petitions were thirty in excess of those of the previous j-ear, and decrees, eleven more. r One petition for nullity of nmrnagewas also granted. Divorces up till 1911 averaged about 150 per annum; but since that, date the. figures, have rapidly gone; u D , each .succeeding year shown," a greater, percentage than before ' As-a set-off tp the high. divorce rat-, it is consplmg to know, on the-same official authority, that the marriage rate for 1914, which was.,S.sl per. 1,000 of tnc population, ; was .higher than the .rate tor 'most European countries. - The ratfor tlie Commonwealth f or the same ycar.waftß.Bo. The average age at which New Zealand men-marry appears to be a little.: over thirty, and'this has been the case for seven or eight years. It is higher than the English v Vafe Our women, who used to marryatanavera"--agc of 2li ten years ago, now go latec' to the altar, the average age of brides during 1914 having been 2U.69. This s lower than the English age average for women. '. "