The Maintenance of Deserted Wives and Children 1837 (Act no. 8Wm. IV No.9) with the full title 'An Act to provide for the Maintenance of deserted Wives and Children' was enacted on 18 August 1837. This piece of legislation set out guidelines for the indenture of 'abandoned' children between 13 and 21 years of age as apprentices, warrants for Fathers who have deserted their children and or wives, as well as the power of Justices to order Men to pay a certain amount from their income or sale of their possessions to support their wife and any children. This legislation was repealed in 1863 by The Deserted Wives and Children Maintenance Act 1863 (Act no. 27 Vict. No.14).
1837 - 1863 Maintenance of Deserted Wives and Children 1837
1863 - 1873 Maintenance of Deserted Wives and Children 1863
1873 - 1920 Maintenance of Deserted Wives and Children 1873
1920 - 1922 The Maintenance Act 1919
1922 - 1968 The Maintenance Act 1921
1967 - The Maintenance Act 1967
Sources used to compile this entry: Law Research Service, Melbourne Law School, Law Library, The University of Melbourne. 'Find and Connect Project - Tasmanian Legislation', 20 January 2014, held in the project files at the University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre.
Prepared by: Elizabeth Daniels
Created: 10 December 2014, Last modified: 15 October 2015