FEWER people were divorced during 1997 than 1996, but more couples were divorcing earlier, Statistics NZ said yesterday. Deputy government statistician Dianne Macaskill said there were 255 fewer marriage dissolution orders in the Family Court up to December 1997, a decrease of 2.5 per cent on the 1996 figure.

However, more couples were divorcing earlier, Ms Macaskill said.

"Of those couples married in 1977, 14.4 per cent (or one in seven) had divorced within 10 years. For those married in 1987, the corresponding figure was 16.4 per cent (or one in six)."

Latest figures also indicated that among those married in 1972, almost 30 per cent (or three in 10) had divorced within 25 years of marriage.

The median age at divorce in 1997 was 40.6 years for men and 37.9 years for women. Both were about three years older than those who divorced a decade ago.

"The upturn may be attributed partly to the marked trend toward later marriages experienced in New Zealand since the early 1970s," Ms Macaskill said.

The proportion of divorces involving children fell slightly from 49.7 per cent in 1996 to 48 per cent in 1997. -- NZPA

Supplied by New Zealand Press Association

(Copyright 1998)

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