EASIER DIVORCES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 111, 27 May 1937, Page 5

EASIER DIVORCES

Bill Before House of Gommons ( British Qfliptftl Wireiess.) EUGBY, May 25. The Government have ggreed to set aside Friday in the Commons for the remaining stagep of Mr A. P, Herbert '» Marriage Bill. Mr. Herbert 's Bill proposes to make divorce easier to obtain and also provides ways by which unhappy couples might be reQqnciled befgre they evqr reach the Divorce Court. Interest in the Bill was quickened by the announcement that a record number of 166(5 diyorce petitions awaited hearing early this month. The Bill would widen the grounds for divorce to inciude desertion, cruelty, habitual drunkenness and im curabje insanity, wherq now the only recognised reason for divoree in England is adultery, Committee stage alterationa, bowever, restricted the rofqrms originally planned by Mr. Herbert, by strihing out clauses allowing a woman to free herself from a drunkavd, or from a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, A bitter fight was expected on a clause, insorted in committoe, which would virtually make it illegal for a couple to agree between themselves to Obtain a divorge, This says that the court shall not grant divorce unless botb parties satjsfy it that there has boen no collusion or condonatjqn. Thg insertipn of th§ Plause wap vigqrously oppo?ed by the Kev, E. W. Horensoii (Labour) during the eomaiifctee stgge.