THE MARRIAGE AGE

Evening Star, Issue 21515, 13 September 1933, Page 8

THE MARRIAGE AGE

POSITION BEING INVESTIGATED NO WIDESPREAD DEMAND FOR ALTERATION [Special to the ' Stab.’] CHRISTCHURCH, September 13. The statement that his department was already investigating the raising of the present minimum legal marriage for girls of twelve years was made by the Minister of Health (Hon. J. A. Young), in reply to a question last evening. The questioner asked the Minister if he would sponsor a move to have the Marriage Act raised. He said _ the question had been raised several times during the Lyttelton by-election campaign, and'it had been stated that the present ago was twelve years. It was that this should be raised to at least fourteen years. New Zealand lagged behind Britain in this respect, for the marriage age there was sixteen years. The Minister said the question was one of vital importance, and no sentiment could be allowed to enter into it if and when it came to be considered as a matter of public policy. He had been Minister of Health between 1926 and 1929 and since 1931, but he did not remember that there had been any widespread demand for raising the marriage age. Had there been he probably would have heard of it as Minister of Health. Very many more questions entered into the raising of Che marriage ago than appeared on the surface, and there was a danger that the situation would become very much more complicated by altering the law. However, if there was a demand for a change he knew_ the question would bo thoroughly investigated before legislation was introduced. He could say that his department was already investigating the present position.