DOMESTIC ACTIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20886, 18 August 1939, Page 5

DOMESTIC ACTIONS

CONCILIATION EFFORTS PROVISIONS OF NEW ACT (By Tel^eranh.—PprNal to Times) WELLINGTON. Thursday The Domestic Proceedings Bill, which was introduced by the AttorneyGeneral, the lion. H. G. R. Mason, in the House of Representatives yesterday will amend the Destitute Persons Act, 1910, and is to come into force on October 1. It was read a second time j pro forma and referred to the Statutes j Revision Committee. In actions for maintenance and separation it is provided that a magis- i trate, or in his absence the Clerk of the Court, shall refer the matter to some person whom he shall appoint as | conciliator, to attempt to effect a reconciliation between the husband and the wife. If for any special reason this course is considered inexpedient, however, it need not necessarily be followed. Any person, whether in the service of the Government or not, may be appointed a conciliator. If the conciliator is unsuccessful in his attempt to bring the parties together, he may report to the magistrate on the circumstances of the case, but no statement made by either the husband or the wife may be included in the report without their consent in writing. Authority is given for the issue of interim maintenance orders while the case is in the hands of a conciliator, with a maximum effective period of three months. Restrictions on Publicity No particulars of a case of this kind may be published before the magisterial hearing, and after the case has been heard publication of proceedings is proposed to be restricted to the names, addresses and occupations of the parties and witnesses, the grounds of the complaint and a concise statement of the charges, defence and i counter-charges, submissions on points of law and the decision of the magistrate, and any observations made by him in giving his decision. A penalty of three months’ imprisonment or a fine of £IOO, or both, is provided for breaches of this clause. A restriction is also placed on the number of persons who may be present in Court during the hearing of a case, the effect being to exclude the general public.