SOVIET MARRIAGE LAWS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 140, 9 March 1920, Page 7

SOVIET MARRIAGE LAWS

ONLY CIVIL CONTRACT RECOGNISED DIVORCE OBTAINABLE BY MUTUAL CONSENT (By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright London, March 2. The Soviet marriage laws, of whirli various versions were published in 1919, are now officially stated. They abolish all religious hindrances, 6iich as differences of faith, arid recognise only tlio civil contract, though they do not prohibit church ceremonials. The matrimonial age is fixed at sixteen' years for females and eighteen years for males. Community of property is not established, but each party is compelled'to support the other in the went of need 01 inability to work. Mutual, consent or tlio desire of either party is sufficient ground for divorce. Parental rights must bo exercised exclusively for the children's 'benefit. The Courts are able to abolish the rights if they are misused. Tho children are invested with the sole rights to their own property, but do not share rights to their parents' property,—AusN.Z. Cable Assn. EVACUATION OF NOVOROSSISK, ALLIED OFFICIALS PBEPABING TO BEHOVE- REFUGEES. . London, March 2. The Associated Press correspondent at Constantinople states that the evacuation of Novorossisk, on tlio Black Sea, is expected hourly. British subiects have been ordered to leave, and Allied officials at Constantinople are preparing to handle the refugees, of whom twenty thousand are expected. It is proposed to divert five thousand to Egypt and three thousand to Cyprus. The situation is aggravated by the prevalence of tvnhus at Novorossisk.—Peuter. BEDS CAPTUEE TIKHOKETZKAYA, „ Moscow,; March 2. Official.— I The Bed Amy has taken Tikhoretzkaya.—Peuter. [It was reported last week that tho Bolsheviks had cut the Bestov-Petrovsk line at Tikhoretzkayn.]

REDS ADVANCING IN CAUCASUS DENIRIN'S ARMY DISPERSING, ffiec. March 8, 11.30 p.m.) . „ ~ . London, March 3. A iiolshevik communique states: "The Reds m the Caucasus are advancing victoriously everywhere and have reached the Tiver Knjalrinlc and captured Yegorlytslcon. The Caucasus Army during the past fortnight have captured 17,000 of Denikms army, which, is graduallv dispersing.—Reuter.