PARLIAMENTARY.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 55, 30 August 1894, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. | Per Press Association]. Wellington, August 29. ; i The Council met at 2.30 ! In Committee on the Legitimation j Bill a new clause was inserted, pro- ; viding that claims of legitimate children in regard to property shall ] take precedence of claims of legitimatised children, and that no child can be legititnatised if any impediment existed at its birth to inter-marriage of its parents. The Invercargill Racecourse Empowering Bill, Animals Protection Act Amendment Bill (to prevent the introduction into the Colony of objectionable birds or animals), and Oaths Act Amendment Bill were read a second time. The Wellington City Drainage Empowering Bill and Timaru Harbor Reclamation Bill passed through Committee without amendment, and were put through their final stages. In Committee on the Divorce Bill an amendment was inserted to the effect that divorce cannot be granted for desertion that has taken place prior to the passing of the Bill. At 5 p.m. the Council adjourned till 7.30 p.ra. In Committee on the Divorce Bill, in clause 3, the term of desertion necessary to form ground for divorce was increased from three to four years. Sub section 3 of the same clause, providing that divorce may be granted on the grounds of habitual drunkenness for three years was struck out by 15 to 11. A motion to strike out sub-section 4, which provides that divorce may be granted on the ground that husband or wife has been committed to prison for a period of not less than three years, was negatived by 15 to 13, and the clause retained. A motion to strike out the provision that divorce may be granted for repeated assaults was lost on the casting vote of the Chairman. Progress was then reported and the Council rose at 9.15 p.m.