"ARRANGED DIVORCES"

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 183, 4 August 1936, Page 9

"ARRANGED DIVORCES"

WOMEN WHO DO NOT EXIST.

JUDGE'S CONDEMNATION

(Special.—By Air Mail.)

LONDON, July 11. | Judicial and other authorities are viewing with some concern the growth in "arranged" divorces as a result of the semi-secrecy surrounding divorce proceedings. This secreej' has frequently been denounced as "prejudicial to public interests"* by Lord Merrivale, late president of the divorce division, and other eminent judges. I Lord Merrivale . maintained thatl mystery and secrecy in divorce proceeding were the cause of the great increase j in broken homes. The trouble is that very often the "other woman" is. described as "unknown" and it is feared that, in some cases, she may not even exist. , Dealing with this point. Lord Merrivale has said: "Alleged misconduct with an unknown woman by a husband, unless the personality of the unknown i woman is proved by facts other than j the entry. "Mr. and Mrs.' in the hotel i register, is not sufficient evidence for, divorce." Such cases used to be known as "carpet bag" or week-end divorces.; They are looked upon as "arranged", and were regarded suspiciously l,y the judges. Later, however, judicial authoril ties laid it down that the presence of ! the unknown at the particular time and I place alleged need not be definitely ! established. And that ruling obtains to-day. As a there has been a number of collusive or "arranged" divorces. ,