DIVORCE MATTERS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19151, 7 November 1927, Page 4

DIVORCE MATTERS.

DECISIONS OF MOTHERS' UNION. Two important resolutions were passed by the Council of the Mothers' Union, states the "Church News." The first was that the Dominion Council considers that in all cases of dispute and differences between husbands and wives that come before the Magistrate's Court for settlement, it would be highly desirable if a woman J.P. were appointed to act as an associate in conjunction with the Magistrate; and that the public should be excluded from the Court during the hearing of these cases. Several of the delegates dwelt strongly on the undesirability of having a curious, and sometimes a quite youthful, audience listening to tales of married unhappiness. They also considered that itwould be a distinct benefit and help to a Magistrate in arriving at a just decision if a woman J.P. were associated with him in the hearing. The M.U. standing primarily for the upholding and stability of home life, it was considered proper that it should throw the strength of its opinion against the practice of unnecessarily parading details of family discord beforo an idle and curious public, the effect being to prejudice the chance of reconciliation which it should be the object of the Court to promote. The second resolution, adds the "Church News," dealt with a Bill of Mr Wilford's proposing to increase the facilities for divorce still further by enabling the Divorce Court to accept as a separation order any order or judgment in or beyond New Zealand which in its opinion has the effect of a separation. This is a large widening of the provision of the principal Act whereby a divorce may be obtained on the grounds of legal separation by mutual consent for three years. It was resolved that the M.U. should pledge itself to do all in its power to prevent the passing of the amendment, being convinced that the law allowing divorce after three years' separation has already done untold harm, and that any further facilities which would make it possible for residents of other countries to take advantage of our easy divorce laws would be most detrimental to the best interests of the countrv.