Maintenance and Adoption
The two Private Members' Bills on domestic subjects which had their second reading at the end of last week were discussed in an atmosphere of constructive cordiality. On the Married Women (.Maintenance) Bill, there was little to say except that no financial ruling will cover all incomes and that it is often difficult to collect the money from husbands who have deserted their wives. Some change in maximum payments is obviously needed, since the old weekly maximum of £2 for a wife was fixed in 1895, and that of tos. for each child in 192o. The now suggested maxima of £5 and 2os. are more in keeping with the present cost of living. A longer debate took place on Mr. Nield's Adoption Bill, designed to amend the Act of 1926, which made adoption legal. Adoption procedure has worked well, as the more than 20,000 adoptions now taking place annually witness, but experience was bound to reveal defects that need remedy. Mr. Nield would make a three months' proba- tionary period compulsory ; that, and not the six months later suggested, should be enough for both sides to make up their minds. The complicated matter of inheritance should certainly to cleared up ; Mr. Nield suggested it should be done in Committee. The age clause (adopting parents, if not relatives, to be 25 years old and 21 years older than the child) is probably wise, though there is always the court to decide on applicants' suitability. Altogether a timely and valuable little measure
Previous page
