UNION WITH NIECE OF DECEASED WIFE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6954, 6 July 1929, Page 6

UNION WITH NIECE OF DECEASED WIFE

LEGALISING BILL. OBSOLETE PROVISION UNDER MARRIAGE ACT Per Press Association, WELLINGTON, July 5. A Bill proposing an amendment of the Marriage Act has. been introduced into the House of Representatives by Mr. H. G. R. Mason. The Bill legalises marriages with a deceased wife’s niece or deceased’s husband’s nephew. Speaking on the matter, Mr. Mason remarked that many people would be surprised to learn that it was illegal for a man to marry his deceased wife's niece or for a woman to contract marriage with her deceased husband’s nephew. He believed that at different times people standing in that relationship had married and were not aware they were committing an illegality. If marriage with a deceased wife's sister was legal, then marriage with a deceased wife’s niece should also bo legal. The problem had been before the House 20 years ago and it was then decided that all marriages with a deceased wife’s niece which had occurred prior to that time should be validated. That Act did not apply to any future marriages of that kind, however. The amendment he was proposing - would legalise all such marriages, whether contracted now or in the future. Mr. Mason added, in reply to a question, that it would be very regrettable if the churches opposed the amendment, because marriage with a deceased wife’s sister had been legalised a long time ago and the matter had now become accepted by the whole community. There seemed to be nothing whatever to be said for retaining a prohibition of such a character when the community was ignorant of its existence and when people sometimes unwittingly transgressed the law. Such marriages as he was referring to did not conflict with the conscience of everyday life and it seemed to him to be clear that the law should be in accord with the conscience of the community and that the people should not have to adapt their consciences to a law that was practically obsolete. Mr. Mason did not think that there would be any opposition to the proposal and he did not look upon the matter as being contentious. He was sure none of the members of the House would conscientiously be against it.