RIFE’S PETITION TO HOUSE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23972, 12 June 1943, Page 6

RIFE’S PETITION TO HOUSE

♦ ; AMENDMENT to divorce ACT SOUGHT (p.A.) WELLINGTON, June 11. A plsa for the intervention of Parliament to prevent her being ejected from her home until at least she had been given time to find another suitable one ■was made in a petition to the House presented to-day by Mr C. H. Chapman (Government, Wellington North) for Nellie Maria Kain, of Wellington. This is the echo o£ recent Court proceedings. In the course of the petition Mrs Kain asked for the amendment of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act to give deserted wives the same right as she stated were given under the law to deserted husbands regarding the settlement of property. Another request was that there should be brought into operation in New Zealand a similar measure to the Homestead Acts in force in Canada, The petitioner said that the Court of Appeal had decided that neither the Supreme Court nor the Court of Appeal had jurisdiction to make an order enabling her to retain possession of the home she had lived in for 16 years, and she had been ordered tc leave before June 11. 1943. Living in the home with her, were her married daughter and baby grandchild. The daughter's husband was away from New Zealand on active service.' and other members ot 'her family were also performing war Service out of New Zealand.