DIVORCE IN NEW ZEALAND

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 198, 10 November 1934, Page 7

DIVORCE IN NEW ZEALAND

AN ALARMING INCREASE Re-marriage of Parties DIFFICULTIES OF MINISTERS j CLEAR STATEMENT NEEDED Press AssociiJ-taoc — Qt>x&Tigt>£, Dunedhi, November 0. The Presbyterian Assembly to-day decided to set up a committee on marriage and divorce. The Rev. J. D. Smith pointed out that in New Zealand divorces were six times as many as in England and Wales. There were eleven causes for divorce and many divorces were granted under the desertion or separation clauses. He gave figures showing an alarming increase, as well, in the remarriages of divorcees. Ministers were often in a quandary in such remarriages as the Presbyterian doctrine contemplated marriage only between professing Christians. Mr. Smith urged that ministers should carefully instruct their young people in the principles of marriage and he urged the preparation of a pamphlet on the matter which might be used by ministers. The Rev. J. Allan, Christahurch, said it was not unknown that both parties to a divorce were remarried in different churches. Ministers were in an invidious position when asked to remarry a divorced person. A clear statement on the matter was needed because the ministry was placed in an invidious and impossible position in the decision whether to marry divorced persons or not. The Rev. J. Paterson urged that where a divorced party sought to make a second honourable start in marriage the church should not withhold its blessing. It was pointed out that in 1921 the Assembly made a pronouncement along the lines of Mr. Paterson's contention but the discussion showed doubt in the mind of Assembly members.