WIFE DESERTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1921, Page 5

WIFE DESERTIONS.

PROVISION FOR DEPENDENTS. IMPROVING THE LAW. The Hon. E. P. Lee (Minister of Justice) moved the second reading of the Maintenance Orders (facilities for enforcement) Bill, which brought New Zealand into line with the Imperia) legislation, making orders issued in other parts of the Empire for the maintenance of dependents enforcable in the Dominion, or vice versa. .Power was given to attach the interest in a life insurance policy for the benefit of ft wife and children of a defaulting husband against whom an order was made. Mr. G. Witty (Riecarton) welcomed the Bill, as affording fuller justice to womCn and children who had been deserted. Mr. H. E, Holland (Labor Leader) pointed out that the wife and children of a deserter required just the same sustenance as a widow or orphans of an epidemic victim, for instance. This was a matter the Government should provide for. The Government, too, should pursue a ’deserter and make him provide for his dependents. Deserters who were imprisoned should be usefully employed, and the value of their work credited to them, the Government then applying the money so earned to the support of the dependents. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North) advocated that wife deserters should be pursued, arrested and placed in stockades, where they should be forced to work, and if they would not work they should be put on bread and water until thev did.

Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) and Mr. F. N. Bartram (Grey Lynn) supported the measure, but the latter urged care in interfering with life insurance poli-

The Minister replied, and the Bill was read a second time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee.