Mr. Hinde Palmer on Wednesday introduced .a Bill to amend
the Married Women's Property Act, or rather to extend it, by the " reintroduction of all the clauses struck out by the Lords in 1870." The Lords cut that Bill down to a mere measure for the protection of the poor, but left a clause exempting the husband from liability for his wife's ante-nuptial debts. As the wife can- not, even if she has property, be liable after marriage, nobody is liable, and the creditor is robbed. That cannot stand ; but if the wife is to continue liable, she must have control of her property, and Mr. Palmer takes advantage of the opportunity to reopen the larger matter, and demand for her her rights to her own. Mr. Palmer's speech was dreadfully dull, and we do not see why he should not copy the clause to be introduced into the Indian Code, which by about twenty words constitutes every English- woman in India as regards property ferns sole, but the House- passed the Bill by 124 to 103. It will take a heavier majority than that to move the Lords to make the larger concession, though, of course, they will consent to changes remedying the position of the creditors. They will not sanction confiscation of tradesmen's property, even though they do sanction that of tradesmen's wives.
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