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The New Zealand Evangelist

Marriage And Registration Acts For New Zealand

Marriage And Registration Acts For New Zealand.

As we have had many inquiries about these acts, we publish the substance of them for the benefit of our readers. We publish simply the law, refraining from any comments on the ignorance or partiality displayed by the framers of these acts, or how far they have departed from the instructions of the Home Government as to making “no invidious distinctions” between the different denominations.

Marriages can be legally solemnized by ministers of the Church of England—the Church of Rome— the Wesleyan Church, by the Ministers of all the Presbyterian Churches, by the Registrars, and by these only.

No Marriage can be legally solemnized till the purpose of marriage has been proclaimed for three several Sabbaths in some place of worship—or till the names of the parties have been inserted in the Deputy Registrar's “Notice Book “for twenty-one days,—or till a license has been obtained from the page 240 Deputy Registrar, seven days after notice given.— Licenses may be granted also by the English and Roman Catholic Churches, but by no other Church.

The Fees for copy of Notice, 2s. 6d. For License from the Registrar £3.

Every Birth to be registered within 42 days.— One of the parents, or the person in whose house any child is born, is to certify to the Deputy Registrar the date of the birth, and the name that has been, or is to be given to the child; after 42 days the registration costs 10s. 6d.

Every death to be registered within 10 days.

It is of great importance that Births and Deaths should be punctually registered. In new countries, especially, it is extremely desirable that full and accurate statistics should be obtained and preserved; and no person can say of what consequence it may be to a child to be able to procure legal evidence of birth and parentage.

We publish the following extract from the last Government Gazette, as a kind of Nota Bene to the above notice of the Act of Council:

“His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor directs it to be notified for general information, that, as ample time has now been afforded since the Registration Ordinance came into operation for the public to make themselves acquainted with its provisions, during which the Fees and Penalties incurred by neglect of those provisions have been in every case remitted, and every practicable means adopted to give publicity to them, it will in future be necessary to exact all such Fees and enforce all such Penalties as aforesaid, and that from and after this Notice they will be enforced and exacted accordingly."

By his Excellency's command.

Alfred Domett,

Colonial Secretary.

Printed at the Office of the "Wellington Independent," corner of Willis Street and Lambton-quay.