1937-05-14 — Page 2

Page

LAST TWO

DAYS

AIN CONDITIONED THE KARET

At 2.30, 5.10,

7.15 & 9.30 p.m.

MODERN MERRYMAKING IN A MEDIAEVAL SETTING.

JACK BUCHANAN

IN A MUSICAL VERSION OF

"WHEN KNIGHTS WERE BOLD"

with FAY WRAY

UNITED ARTISTS RELEASE

SUNDAY

NORMA SHEARER

LESLIE HOWARD in

"ROMEO AND JULIET"

4 SHOWS

DAILY

1.20–3.15

A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Picture

TAKÉ ANY TRAM ÓR ÞEMORY VALLEY BUG

ORIENTAL

DAYS TO-DAY •

ZONLY

FLEMING

ROAD

WANGHAI

TEL.: 28473

TO-MORROW.

THE GIRL YOU SEE IN ALL THE ADS GOES GUNNING FOR A MILLIONAIRE! There's a hundred laughs in this reckless romance of a fashion model with a two dollar brain.

A

GENE RAYMOND Ann SOTHERN

Smarlest

GIRL IN TOWN

The love Hie ol

-an advertising

model

With

HELEN BRODERICK ERIC BLORE - ERIK RHODES - HARRY JANS

STARTING THE CHARGE

SUNDAY

MATINEES: 20c.-30c

DAILY

-OF THE EVENINGS: 20c.-30c.-50c.-70c,

LIGHT BRIGADE

ROAD KOWLOON

ISTARE

TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW

RISKY ROMANCE!

SUNDAY

CLAIRE TREVOR

Universal Picture

57795

MAD ADVENTURE!

"3 SMART GIRLS"

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 14, 1937.

EFFECT OF THE NEW MARRIAGE BILL

REMOVING ANOMALIES OF DIVORCE

There have been a number of divorce. Divorce judges have, on this word statutes amending the original Ma-the whole, construed trimonial Causes Act of 1857 which reasonably (of course, it has hit- first allowed divorce otherwise than herto been cause for judical separa by private Act, but the Marriage tion only), a in the Bull which lately passed the. Com- House of Lords that a wife who mittee stage in the Commons will, publicly and falsely accused her if its further stages are also pass-husband of unnatural offences and ed, mark by far the greatest declined to retract was not guilty changes.

of mental cruelty has handicapped The original Act and most of its them, for they have been bound by successors are now consolidated into it. the Judicature Act of 1925. The This decision was reached by a present bill is framed to amend the majority of one only, five judges provisions of that Act in respect to four, the late Lord Halsbury of divorce.

leading the dissentients in his It is difficult to speak of the usual vigorous manner. If the bill divorce laws of every country, but had passed in its original form the proposed Clause T. of the bill, Parliament would have endored his to forbid divorce for a period of view. five years after marriage appears to be unique.

Divorce Of Insane Incurable insanity of at least five Since the decree nisi, followed

years' standing is a new ground normally by six months' delay be-for divorce. Incurable drunken- fore decree absolute, is not a gen-ness of at least three years' stand- eral feature of other laws, divorce ing was made a ground for divorce normally be obtained else-in the bill as presented, but this where much more quickly than in provision was dropped in commit- England even now, but if the bill tee.

can

4.

obtain-

passes in its present form our law At present, if one spouse deserts will be stricter for those recently the other for seven years without married than that of any other the latter knowing whether the de- country which allows divorce. It serter is alive or dead, he or she would still be stricter if the period may re-marry without fear of pro- of five years were shortened to secution for bigamy, but if the de- three.

serter reappears, the second mar- Meaning Of "Desertion"

riage is invalid. The bill provides Almost all countries which al-that in such circumstances it shall low divorce permit it for desertion

no longer be so (including, of course, Scotland), Occasionally, of course, the de- which, while it lasts, is, unlike serter, finding the deserted one: adultery, an entire repudiation of

settled down with a prosperous all the essential duties of mar-partner, returns to sell silence for riage.

blackmail. The provision in the bill. New York, and some of the pro-will checkmate such people. vinces of Canada, have until lately

Sometimes a wife will obtain a permitted of divorce for adultery decree. nisi and with it her per- only, but the strictness of the New manent maintenance, and then, not York law is much mitigated: by the desiring to re-marry herself, will fact that, in certain circumstances deliberately abstain from divorces pronounced in Reño oring a decree absolute and prevent elsewhere are recognised by the her husband from marrying. The State. It appears also that, with bill provides in such case for an in the last few months, the law of application to be made by the res New York has been widened to al-pondent to have the decree nisi low of divorce for insanity and 15 made absolute. years imprisonment.

The English Divorce Court, of There are some new causes for course, recognises no divorce for nullity of marriage, but the re- those domiciled in this country ligious grounds which make certain save by decree pronounced by it- Ipeople oppose new clauses for self. "Desertion" was defined at the divorce do not apply to nullity, and end of the bill as being desertion presumably this clause will be non- without the consent or against the will of the other party and without

There was a provision that police- reasonable cause, and included the

court conduct of a woman, who, while course; only result eparation can; of t proceedings living under

her husband's roof, and maintenance orders could ulti- wilfully or persistently refuses mately be transferred to the High him his rights.

Court so that, în appropriate cas divorce might be possible.

Provision Dropped -

New Causes For Nullity

controversial.

This would have removed, in a however, has also been dropped, number of cases where it occurred, and presumably separate proceed- a burning grievance. Men have

ings will have to be commenced for been driven to other wornen by the divorce. conduct of such wives, who there- upon may commence proceedings for divorce

or maintenance, though their husband's of fences are entirely caused by their

conduct.

Own

A considerable number of the man imprisoned for arrears of main tenance have stated that, although they could pay, they would rather go to prison than give money-bo a wife of this kind.

• This provision was dropped from the bill in its passage through com- mittee, but would seem to deserve | reconsideration.

Cruelty la alsó a ground

-The German schoolboys from Salem, who won the Public Schools Athletic Championship for the third-year, in succession visited Eton College and Windsor Castle.-

The number

poor relief in England and Wales at of persons..receiving

the end of 1936 was 96,774 fewer than at the end of 1986, according to the Ministry of Health's quarterly state- ment.

When a lorry arrived at Overseal, near Burton-on-Trent, from London,"a boy crawled out from a space between the back axle and the spare wheel, hav- ing ridden the whole distance on the for chassis.