LAWS FOR WOMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12455, 25 May 1926, Page 5

LAWS FOR WOMEN

The legal status of women has been gradually improving ever since 1874, when married women received their first charter in the shape of a Married Women’s Property Act, says a writer in an English paper. This year, new rights concerning the guardianship of children have been conferred on them. Next year by a series of acts arising out of the postponed Law of Property Act, 1922, several important steps will be taken toward equality of the sexes. It must have been galling for those who blazed the trail for women through the murky forests of the law to know that married women, infants ,and mentally defectives were invariably treated as cognate subjects. At one time they were all three regarded by the law as almost equally impotent. That idea was a product of the age of chivalry and is now out of date. Many women receive income from trustees under wills and settlements. Among the laws which came into force on January Ist is one in which the powers and rights of such persons are fully defined, and in some ways extended. The powers and obligations of trustees are also set out in extenso. There are numerous alterations in the investments which a trustee may make, the most important being a power to invest in “hearer” securities. All these points affect tho woman who has a little “private income.” Another change that may or may not be to the advantage of women is the rule that wills made in “contemplation of marriage” will be valid after the., ceremony. At present marriage always invalidates a will made previously by either of the parties. Woman’s greatest gain will be in the new intestacy laws. There will be absolute equality of the sexes. At present, if a mai\ dies without having made a will the elder son usually comes off best. Next year, however, though he may unexpectedly have thrust upon him tbe responsibilities ot the head of the family, the elder son will count nd more at law than the youngest daughter. Similarly, the mother of an unmarried son will share his property with tho father. The chief reform is in favour of widows. The widow takes all the personal chattels —furniture, motor-cars, carriiiges, and so on—and. if the size of the estate permits, £IOOO. If there be any surplus she receives the income from one-half for life, or. if the husband leaves no issuo the income from the whole. Recently I came across this in a legal tome of some antiquity:—“As regards married women, they used to be unsuitable for the office of trustee, and this not only because of the inconvenience resulting from the legal unity of husband and wife, but also because of the reputed variability or instability of the feminine temperament; and although the former of these two objections has ceased to exist the latter of them, remains.” Even now, owing to minor technicalities, marric.l women are not in favour as trustees, hut the Law of Propertv Act, 1925. establishes it beyond doubt that, as regarps trusteeship. married women ate to be like single womon, oil precisely, the same footing as men. It is a far cry from the time when a Kite was a husband-s chattel." i The engagement is announced in an exchange of Noeline, only daughter of the late Mr W. M. Wilson and Mrs Wilson, of Eastbourne, to William, second son of Mr and Mrs J H Percy, “Durslev, Bideford. 'Mrs Northcroft, of Auckland, leaves by the Makura to-day for America, en route to England. The death occurred yesterday at Napier of Mrs Norman, wife of Captain Norman, well known in shipping circles throughout the Dominion. The deceased lady was in her 69th year, and had been a resident of papier tor 34 years. She was a daughter of Captain Kinsella, who commanded an emigrant ship in tiie ’forties and fifties and made several trips to the Dominion in the early days. Mrs Norman has been in ill-health for several years, and is survived by her husband, two sons, Messrs W. and B. Norman. a daughter, Mrs Fairley, of Maurice terrace, Wellington, and several grandchildren.