TWENTY YEARS AFTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 283, 30 November 1933, Page 7

TWENTY YEARS AFTER.

British Divorce Bill Based on Commission's Report. PRIVATE MEMBERS ACT. LONDON, November 29. Twenty-one years after the sittings of the Royal Commission on Divorce a private 'member's bill has been introduced in the House of Commons, sponsored by Mr. Hoi ford Knight (National Labour). Sir John Withers, Mr. John Slater, Colonel A. W. Goodman (Conservative?), Miss E. Kathbone (Independent) and others. The measure is on the lines of the commission's majority report. It seeks to permit the granting of a divorce to cither party on any of the following grounds: —Adultery, desertion for three years, cruelty, certified mental derangement for five years, or incurable drunkenness, at least three years' separation, or the undergoing of imprisonment under a commuted death sentence. The bill also proposes that the Court be empowered to presume death after seven years' absence. DEPRESSION AT RENO. BIG PALLING OFF IN DIVORCE. (Received 2 p.m.) RENO, November 29. The depression has caused a shortage of 500,000 dollars in the divorce business here this year. It is estimated that there has been a decline of 25 per cent in divorces. Whereas last year 3105 couples were divorced, this year there have been about 2200. While other States have now liberalised their divorce laws, yet it is believed the lack of funds lias caused the diminution here.