MINISTERS CONFER.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1921, Page 5

MINISTERS CONFER.

MARRIAGE LAWS AND CRIMES ACT. By Telegraph —Press Association. Christchurch, August 16. At a meeting of the Council of Christian Congregations the recent amendment of the Divorce Act was discussed, and the following resolution passed: That this council, while recognising the difficulty the Government must have in framing marriage laws, views with grave concern the lax legislation recently enacted, and calls attention to the following grave defects: (1) The clause that makes the refusal to obey the order for restitution of conjugal rights opens the door to plot and collusion; (2) the fact that a divorce may be granted after three years’ separation by* mutual consent of the parties without a moral offence having been committed by either is a new and unpleasant feature; (3) that a 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 in the Crimes Act was also dealt with, and it was resolved that a letter be sent to the Minister of Justice and the local members of Parliament urging amendment to the Act in the direction of abdiishing, as a valid plea, the statement that a prisoner had reasonable cause to believe a girl over 16 years, and also to extend to twelve months the time after the commission of the offence during which the man committing it could be prosecuted.