LAX LEGISLATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 24

LAX LEGISLATION

A CHRISTCHURCH PROTEST. CHRISTCHURCH, August 16. At a meeting- of the Council of Christian Congregations the recent amendment to the Divorce Act was discussed, and it was resolved—“ That this council, while recognising the difficulty Governments must have in framing marriage laws, views with grave concern the lax legislation recently enacted, nnd calls attention to the following grave defects: 1. The clause that makes the refusal to ol>ey an order for restitution of conjugal rights a ground opens the door to plotting and collusion. 2. The fact that divorce may be granted after three years’ separation by mutual consent of the parties without a moral offence having been committed by either is a new and unpleasant feature. 3. That the resolution be sent to other centres of the dominion, with a view to united action by way of a deputation to the Prime Minister. Then the “reasonable cause to believe” clause in the Crimes Act. was dealt with, and it was resolved —“That a letter lie sent to the Minister of Justice and to the local members of Parliament urging an amendment to the Act in the direction of abolishing as a valid plea the statement that a prisoner had reasonable cause to believe a girl to be over 16 years old, and also to extend to 12 month© the time after commission of the offence during which a man committing it could he prosecuted.”