N.Z. GIRLS MARRIED TO U.S. SAILORS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 August 1930, Page 7

N.Z. GIRLS MARRIED TO U.S. SAILORS.

ANOMALY IN NEW ZEALAND LAW PARLIAMENT DEBATES KNOTTY PROBLEM. WELLINGTON, Last Night. In the House to-day in moving for the committal of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Amendment Bill, Mr. H. G. E. Mason said an (important clause of the measure dealt with the nationality of married women. He instanced cases of New Zealand girls who at the time of the visit of the 'American fleet had married sailors who had sailed away and that had been the end of it. These girls as a result of their marriage to citizens of the United States could not get a divorce in a New Zealand Court in which they had no status as a result of their changed nationality. It was desired that such a change of nationality should not be forced upon married women. Another point covered by the Bill dealt with divorce following a separation. Under the present law it was possible to proceed on a separation by agreement in New Zealand or by an order of the Court in New Zealand, but while it was possible to act on an agreement for a separation made outside Now Zealand it was not possible to act on an order of the Court outside New Zealand. The Bill sought to remedy this anomaly. The Bill also reduced the period from seven to four years for which it was necessary one party must have been confined in a mental hospital before a divorce was granted. Hon, Downie Stewart asked what was the Government's attitude towards the Bill. Bon. J. G. Cobbc stated that the advice placed at the disposal of the Government indicated it was necessary that the Bill should be considerably amended before it was passed. It waf pointed out that if a girl married in New Zealand were granted a divorce her husband, if a resident, say of England, would'bo guilty of bigamy if ho married again in England, where the divorce was not At the same time if a wife were granted a divorce in New Zealand and went to the country to which her husband belonged and remarried there she run would be-guilty of bigamy. Mr. Wf D. Lysnar said such a question seemed to be one for the Imperial Conference. He was opposed to the clause relating to confinement in mental hospitals. The period should not bo cut down at all. There were possibly cases in which a wife was responsible for her husband’s confinement in a mental hospital or vice versa and ’n such instances divorce should not bo made easy.

Mr. W. E. Parry urged that the State should endeavour to get the young women mentioned by Mr. Mason out of their difficulty.

Mr. E. A. Wrignt submitted that Iho only effective method would be for the girls to go to America for a divoicc. If they wished to marry again they vjould surely want a divorce that would be recognised everywhere.

Sir Apirana Ngata pointed out -that the House would have an'opportunity to deal with the objectionable features of the Bill at a later stage.

Mr.' Mason, in reply, said the point was that the girls concerned were likely to live for the remainder of their lives in New Zealand. The difficulty under whicn they were now living was a pressing one and it was more important Uiat tney should be freed from it than from some very remote possibility. The same complications : as Mr. Conho had outlined existed in cases of certain divorces already granted under the Act. The motion was adopted.