1931 - Annual Convention

              44 A L B E R T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
In my outline last J u l y I suggested . that our women make a careful study
of the problems a r i s i n g out of the return of the Natural Resources of A l b e r ta
to the province. If enquiries may be used as a measure I am sure our women
have, taken a keen interest in the legislation on this subject at the last session
of our Legislature.
Many statutes passed at this session are of special interest to women; a
f ew of which I s h a l l now mention.
The P r o v i n c i a l Lands Act contains provisions for the management and
disposition of the public lands of the province. Every person who has resided
in the province for a period of not less than three years, has attained the age
of seventeen years and who is a B r i t i s h subject or declares intention of becom­i
n g a B r i t i s h subject is entitled to obtain entry for a homestead. Women may
now obtain entry for a homestead on the same terms as men. I wonder hoW
many women w i l l take advantage of this p r i v i l e g e?
A n amendment to the Child W e l f a r e A c t provides for the appointment in
every city or town of five thousand population or over of an officer whose
duty it shall be to enforce the A c t . Such officer is given authority to enter
factories, workshops, stores, homes and all other places where children may
he employed in order to carry out his duties under the Act. The original
C h i l d Welfare A c t was to come into force on Proclamation b y the Lieutenant-
G o v e r n o r - i n - C o u n c i l but no proclamation has yet been issued.
The Domestic Relations A c t has been amended by providing for the pay­ment
by the husband of necessary disbursements by the wife on an applica­tion
in an action under the Act for alimony, dissolution of marriage and
kindred actions.
A n amendment to the Dower A c t provides for dispensing w i t h the wife's
consent to any proposed disposition of the husband's property under certain
circumstances upon order of a judge of the Supreme Court, as for instance
in cases where the husband and wife are l i v i n g apart, or where the wife has
not since her marriage lived in the province, or where her whereabouts are
unknown, or where she is of unsound ' mind.
The Public Libraries Act has now made provision for g r a n t i n g l i b r a ry
facilities in areas where there have not hitherto been such facilities.
By an amendment to the Solemnization of M a r r i a g e Act the consent re­quired
for a marriage of minors is deemed to be a condition precedent to a
\; alid marriage and where a f o rm of marriage is gone through between persons
either of whom is under the age of eighteen years, without the consent of
the father, mother or guardian, when such consent is required such form of
marriage shall be void and under certain circumstances the Supreme Court
may declare and adjudge a v a l i d marriage was not entered into.
The former School Act has been repealed and a new A c t w i l l come into
force on the first of J u l y this year.
Now turning our attention to the Federal field.
The War Veterans Allowances Act provides for the grant of allowances
to W a r Veterans of s i x t y years of age, who have been domiciled for one year
in Canada, and who a re permanentlj' unemployed by reason of physical or
mental disabilities. This allowance has also been extended for one year
after such a veteran's death to his widow or for the benefit of a child.