The Marriage Bill The Marriage Bill, re-christened the Matrimonial Causes
Bill, passed its third reading in the House of Lords on Monday, and it seems certain to become law before the end of this month. In committee the Lords introduced their most important amendment by reducing to three years the period which must elapse after marriage before a divorce can be granted, with the condition that in exceptional cases a judge might allow a divorce at any time. Last week, on Lord Maugham's motion, the power of discretion was granted to all judges of the High Court ; but, wisely, Lord Moyne's amendment that the " close period " before divorce should be abolished altogether was defeated. It would certainly, if accepted, have led to bitter and prolonged discussion in the House of Commons and have diminished support for the Bill outside Parliament. In the debates on the Marriage Bill the House of Lords was shown at its best ; the discussion was most interesting perhaps because of the strong support for the Bill among the Law Lords, though Lord Russell of Killowen delivered a bitter attack on it, and because of the remarkable variety of opinions shown by the Lords Spiritual.
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