The wife could not simply run her husband's affairs (or at least not formally) and a curator or tutor was required to look after or ' aliment ' the subject's family.
The commissison also proposed extensive clarification and improvement in the law relating to actions and claims for aliment.
What is required is a fresh statement of the law of aliment in clear terms and on consistent principles.
Aliment of this sort will be awarded when the relations between the parties are unresolved.
There was some doubt whether the court could give interim aliment where the pursuer was not prepared so to adhere.
The next point is perhaps one of even greater importance, and that concerns the amount of aliment.
The system is similar to divorce settlement cases where an agreement is eventually reached on aliment.
Then, 60 or 70 years ago, the limitation was put on, that for all other debts, except aliment, £1 must be left.