Deserted Wives

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32030, 3 July 1969, Page 12

Deserted Wives

Sir,—“Social Equality" does not know that a wife without grounds for a separation order may legally desert an unwanted husband and then claim constructive desertion. The wife may then use our unjust laws to obtain maintenance and the matrimonial home. When she does, the husband is ordered to surrender his children, home, and much hard-earned money to a useless wife. Many women have used the existing legal machinery to force an unwanted husband to give up his children and vanish for ever. The growing numbers of broken homes, cases of delinquency, and vandalism testify to the unfairness of our laws. There are many decent, fair-minded second wives earning maintenance for their husband’s first wife. The second wife lives in poverty and her husband lives in fear of imprisonment. There can be no release from slavery while the useless first wife holds the whip. It is time for social equality.—Yours, etc., A. GREIG. July 1, 1969.

Sir,—Replying to “Social Equality,” I agree there should be research; but first turn to the divorce courts and find out how couples separate. If the husband errs he should pay, but if the wife errs why should the husband pay? As the law stands, the man has to pay and when he starts paying it- goes on for life. I know, because I pay and I am an age beneficiary and my former wife is working. I maintain that if there was a set time for payments to cease more men would honour their obligations; and so fewer deserted wives. In the women’s columns in “The Press” some time ago a writer talked about women being thrown on the scrap-heap after they had reared their children, but what do the children say? Mothers who cry out loud and clear in the right places do very .well.— Yours, etc., JIM W. July 1, 1969.

Sir, “Social Equality” claims that if men who are organising against the payment of alimony had their way “there would be an alarming increase in the number of deserted wives.” On the contrary, it is apparent that the number of “deserted” wives is partly due to the heavy bias against husbands shown by the courts. Increase the amount of alimony payable, and the number of “deserted” wives will surely increase. I know from personal experience how false the term “deserted wife” can be. There is a very real need for husbands to band together to protect their rights. Women have been very successful in the last two or three decades in having their cake and eating it, too; and as a result of assist ance by men have achieved a position of considerable privilege, • especially in matters of sex. This is not social equality.—Yours, etc., DESERTED HUSBAND. July 2, 1969.