BIRTHS REGISTER

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 79, 30 September 1930, Page 11

BIRTHS REGISTER

REMOVING A STIGMA

EXPUNGING ILLEGITIMACY

A point of legal doubt which waa raised in the House of Representatives yesterday concerning the Births and Deaths Registration Amendment BUI may be met when the measure goes to the Legislative Council. Moving tho second reading, the Minister of Internal Affairs (the. Hon. P. (V. do la Perrelle) said that its main provision was to expunge from the births register all entries oJE illegitimacy. Endorsements of illegitimacy ivotild also be omitted from birth certificates, : The Hon. W. Downic Stewart (Reform, Dunediu West) asked for an assurance that the Bill would not give rise to disputes in regard to inheritunco. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier) supported tho point. Mr. R. A. Wright (Reform, Wellington Suburbs) said that under tho Bill there would be no distinction between a legitimate and an illegitimate child. Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour, Christchurch East): "What distinction do you want to make?" Mr. Wright said ho was not raising the question of social distinction, but there might bo necessity for legal distinction. The Minister said there appeared to be undue apprehension. There was a precedent for the- proposal in English law. A person might apply for a position and find ho.was required'to furnish a birth-certificate. If he was an illegitimate' the certificate cast a stigma on him. That had happened in several districts. In Committee on the Bill, Mr. Stewart sought a further explanation and said he thought mombers felt uneasy about tho point he had raised. He did »ot know of any law in England relating to the matter. Mr. Perrelle said that in England no. mention was made-in. certificates of legitimacy of otherwise. . Mr. Stewart: 'Have the Crown Law officers seen it?-" Mr. Perrelle: "Yes." . Mr. Ci E. Macinillan (Reform, Tauranga) said that the Bill seemed to be a sweeping one. .-If the. Bill defied that copies of birth certificates should not wntain the word "illegitimate" it would bo all right, but there should be some official document giving complete particulars, . ■■ . •-.. ■ . Mr. Barnard -expressed surprise. that the Bill had not been-referred to the Statutes ■ Revision Committee, and said that, if necessary it-might yet bo referred to tho Legal Committee of: the Legislative Council;.- -.-:.. ... The Minister said that,.if there were any doubts, he .would have them, rectified in the Legislative .Council. Tho fact that the marriage, of the parents had to be shown -on the ; birth certificate was sufficient safeguard against the instances raised by MrvStowart. - '. The. Bill was, passed without amendment.' ■■:■ -.■-... ■■■ .-■■■■• .'..- .. ■