MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19396, 3 August 1926, Page 6

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE.

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S VIEWS DEMAND FOR UNIFORM LAWS. The Australian Federal Council of the National Councils of Women discussed the subject of uniform marriage and divorce laws at. Brisbane last week. Mrs. S. Morrison (New South Wales) said that the extension of grounds, for divorce did not necessarily involve any general slackening of the marriage tie among the body of the people. At present there were a number of variations in the divorce luws as between different States. In- some States lunacy was recognised as a ground, in others it was not. Some States recognised separation for a number of years as a ground, while even those which recognised this principle differed as to the number of years necessary. Other States made no provision for relief in cases of separation when the parties were neither reallv married nor reallv divorced. f This afforded no decent avenue of escape for people who simply could not agree. New South Wales was the most advanced State in the Commonwealth in the matter of divorce legislation, in that there were recognised in that State more grounds for divorce than in any other." Mrs. Goode (South Australia) said that further restriction should be placed upon marriage, so as to prevent very young and irresponsible people from rushing into wedlock. Mrs. Christophers (South Australia) said it should be made compulsory on people about to marry to make a declaration that they were free from infectious or contagious diseases. The following motion was carried: — "That it be a recommendation to the Federal Government that an Act be passed to ensure uniform marriage and divorce law within the Commonwealth." A resolution was carried opposing the professional inequality of women, demanding for fhem equal opportunities and rights within the various employments, and affirming the principal of equal pay for equal work. The inter-State conference of the National Councils of Women huld its sittings also in Brisbane, when Mrs. L. Beid read a paper on the work of the women police in England and South Australia. A resolution was carried affirming that policewomen were necessary in all the States of Australia, and that they should have the same powers and status policemen. A lengthy discussion took place on a proposal that the conference should reaffirm the necessity of a State censorship of picture films, especially with a view to preventing the exhibition of violent deaths, stealing and all brutal and demoralising scenes. A committee was appointed to redraft a motion for submission to the conference.