DIVORCE LAW AMENDMENT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 277, 17 August 1921, Page 6

DIVORCE LAW AMENDMENT

CHURCH COUNCIL’S PROTEST. Br Telegraph—Preas Association. Christchurch, August 16. At a meeting of the Council of Christian Congregations the recent amendment to the Divorce Act was discussed, and the following motion was passed:“That this council, while recognising the difficulty tho Government must have m framing marriage laws, views with grave concern tho lax legislation recently enacted and calls attention to the following grave defects:—(l) The clause that makes refusal to obey an order for the restitution of conjugal rights opens the door to plot and collusion (2) lhe fact that divorce may be granted after thiee vears’ separation by mutual consent ol the parties without a moral offence havin'- been committed by either is a new and unpleasant feature. (3) that this resolution be sent to the other centres of the Dominion, with a view to united action by way of a deputation to the Premier/’ . ~ _ . The "reasonable” clause m the Crimes 4ct was also dealt with, and a motion was passed, “That a letter'-be sent to the Minister of Justice and local members of rarliament, urging an amendment to the Act in the direction of abolishing as a valid plea the statement, ‘that the prisoner had reasonable cause to believe the girl was over 16 years of age, and also to extend to twelve months the time after commission of offence, during which a man committing it could bo prosecuted.”