§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD BIRKENHEAD)My Lords, it is not necessary that I should say more than a few words in moving the Second Reading of this Bill. As the law now stands the maximum amount that a man can be ordered to pay for the maintenance of his wife and family when his wife has obtained a separation order under the Summary Jurisdiction (Married Women) Act, 1895, is £2. In view of the general increase in the rate of wages and the diminution in the buying power of money it is felt that this limit is too low in cases where the wife has children to support, and very strong representations have been made by magistrates in favour of an Amendment of the law, as based on cases where a man is earning £5 or £7 a week and can only be compelled to pay £2 for the support of his wife and a large family, whom, ex hypothesi, he has deserted. The Bill proposes that, in addition to the £2 which the husband may now be ordered to pay for the support of the wife in such a case, he may be also ordered to pay 10s. a week for each child. These are the amounts which a man may be compelled to pay in a proper case under the Bastardy Acts for a child. The Bill has been settled in consultation with the Chief Magistrate, who strongly supports it. I beg to move that the Bill be read a second time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.