N.Z. DIVORCE RATE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 73, Issue 6284, 23 September 1946, Page 5

N.Z. DIVORCE RATE

RISES BY 163 PER CENT IN TEN YEARS HUSBANDS ENTER MORE PETITIONS THAN WIVES FOR YEAR 1945 The divorce rate in New Zealand has more than doubled in the last 10 years. The total of decrees absolute granted has risen from 653 in 1935 to 1725 in 1945—an increase of 163 per cent.

The figures for 1945 have just been released. They show that more than 40 per eent of the petitions filed were on the ground of separation for three years or more. One-third of the petitions involved the breakdown of marriages of five to 10 years’ standing. More petitions were entered by husbands than wives. A temporary decline in the divorce rate was recorded during the war period, particularly in 1941 and 1942, but the graph shows a steep rise for 1944 and a further increase for last year. Here are the totals for the last 10 years:—

Of the 2211 petitions filed in 1945 for dissolution or nullity of marriage 1261 were husbands’ petitions and 950 were petitions by wives. Corresponding figures for 1935 were: Husbands 403, wives 464. The principal grounds for divorce cited in the petitions filed in 1945 were: Separation for not less than three years, 955; adultery, 563; noncompliance with order for restitution of conjugal rights, 402; desertion, 2§g. The duration of marriages at the time of filing of petitions in 1945 was: Under five years, 331; from five to 10 years, 796; 10 to 15 years, 418; 15 to 20 years, 296; 20 to 25 years, 182; 25 to 30 years, 98; 30 years and over, 90. Study of Statistics A special study of divorce statistics is being made by the Census and Statistics Department, and conclusions drawn will shortly be published in bulletin form. These conclusions include the following:— The steady growth in the incidence of divorce has occasioned some concern in responsible quarters and has been the subject of frequent comment from Press and pulpit. The problem of divorce is world wide and has been accentuated by the chaotic conditions resulting from war and economic upheaval. The divorce rate in New Zealand' is not unduly high compared with that of other countries of a comparable standard.

There can be no doubt that the abnormal increase between 1943 and 1945 is directly traceable to the effects of war aided perhaps by ap“army of occupation” "at a time when a large proportion of New Zealand males on service overseas. It may be anticipated that with the return to normal conditions the divorce rate will exhibit a more stable tendency; nevertheless it seems certain that the relatively high level reached within the past deeade will be maintained. While increases in the number of petitions generally is evident it is apparent that refusal to obey orders for restitution of conjugal rights has be come a much more favoured ground for divorce. From 1941 to 1945 petitions under this, head (as distinct from petitions for divorce) show almost a two-fold increase. Aftermath of War

The number of petitions citing adultery is also much greater. This may be accredited to the aftermath of war. Inevitably separation and desertion figures have shown a relative decline.

It is also usual for divorce petitions filed by wives to outnumber those of husbands; this position has been reversed during the last four years and for 1945, husband’s petitions accounted for 57 per cent of the total. In 1945, the number of children affected by divorce petitions numbered 2903, an average of 1.13 children affected by each petition. This seems to attest the truth of the common assertion that a sizeable family is the best guarantee towards permanency of the marriage bond. The statistics of divorce according to the duration of marriage tabulated in five yearly periods show that the severest test of matrimony occurs between the fifth and the tenth year. Contrary to what is sometimes believed, marriages in which the husband is younger than the wife do not seem to be any less successful than those where.the wife is younger than the husband.

The average of age at marriage of persons granted a decree absolute in 1945 was 26.6 years of the husbands, and 23.24 for the wives. At the date of filing the petition, the average age of husbands was nearly 39 years, and of wives 35.62 years. The striking increase on petitions for conjugal rights during recent years has brought to the fore the question ef collusive divorce. It seems probable that many of these applications are made in connivance with the respondent with the object of obtaining a divorce on the grounds of separation. In this respect, too, petitions filed by husbands greatly out-number those of the wives.

Decrees Petitions Absolute Filed. granted. 1935 867 653 1936 1099 849 1937 1154 917 1938 1178 1050 1939 1243 1032 1940 1189 1059 1941 1115 956 1942 1177 962 1943 1641 1100 1944 1992 1630 1945 2211 1725