THE DIVORCE LAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1920, Page 6

THE DIVORCE LAW.

WIDENING OF THE GROUNDS. By Tele#rapn.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives, U;e Hon. E. P. Lee moved the second reading of the Divorce and Matrimonial Clauses Amendment Bill. He said the measure sought to move several necessary amendments in the existing law. The principal feature of the Bill was giving the Court disere- ' tionary powers where no discretion at ' present existed. Failure to comply with | a decree for restitution of conjugal i' rights is being revised as a ground for divorce, and insanity established for a period of seven years is made a new i ground for divorce. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) said as a result of long experience in the Divorce Courts he was satisfied an order of separation was a premium on adultery and eventually resulted in that, with the result that divorce followed. He would therefore support the right to divorce after separation for three years. He did not think that the grounds of divorce in New Zealand were too wide, and in spite of the, outcry made by the tfhurches against 'die frequency of divorcee, if he had his way he would widen the grounds in several directions. The Bill was read a second time, put through committee, read a third time, and passed.