France Alters Law to Make Marriage East

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 46, 17 May 1927, Page 14

France Alters Law to Make Marriage East

Parliament Rem o v es Many Obstacle It was on St. Patrick s Day th* French Government finally V ~T* law that makes getting marri M °,!? 1 a trifle easier than it has everT before in France.

Frenchmen needed such a law o. Americans who live in Franc. o '' than face all the legal difficult!! the way of their marrying wem to London or to Switzerland .Jj** was easier. Marriage by Mayor Even now it is none too Paris and as for getting well, better go to Reno 0 r y u T' 5 ' Another law- is up before Pai-ij to hold foreigners to all the Dernk!L“ regulations that make PrvnrK : think twice before trying t ( > divorce. The number of vorces here has been exaggerated ?" the Paris divorce court is gettinrx 1 “ cluttered up. * *tf The new law makes marriage in tain cases easier. To get ma ,C " bans giving all personal facts ing the exact age of both nan . woman, and whether they are lors or widowers, spinsters or have had to be posted publicly i, ? Town Hall of their birthplaces ins sent residences. And in one of r' residence town halls the marriage -' to he performed by the proper nu“:’ This is the civil marriage, and the only marriage recognised in (w law. All the 80 bishops of France all the heads of Protestant ohnrtV and the Jewish rabbis might try • marry a Frenchman—and it not count for his wife or his chilc-'.i taking his name or inheriting his Tirr ~ perty. And each and all the clern would be liable to prosecution for.. gaging in a bogus marriage. Seim marriage has been impossible Such publicity allows the Sat. authorities to know at all times th civil status of every citizen and uni vents bigamy or nonsupport of rfifj and children or the willing away r property from legitimate children. Proving Statements The beginning of difficulties is j O . the parties who wish to be married • prove to the mayor all the particulars that have to be enumerated in ti>

bans. The would-be husband's or wif e l say so is not enough. Eyeryone - France is supposed to have indentitr papers. It is not enough to answer as a despairing Englishman said to a Paris police judge who asked him for his birth certificate, “How coni' I be here if I had not been born?" " You cannot have the bans publishes and hten proceed to get married legal!; without the consent of your parent or, if you are more than 25 years old without having served legal notice on them that such is your intention. B your parents (or grandparents, in their default) object, they have s month or more to bring all their batteries to bear on you—and they mar even take legal measures to prevent the marriage. The young son of s duke who wanted lately to marry as actress fought the matter out with his parents and was successful, but he is not yet over the severe trial to his feelings and temper. When these family difficulties sit practically insurmountable the parties sometimes go off together without saying anything about it to make a newlife for themselves. And the woman and children bear the father’s name and thei -acquaintances think it a legal marriage; but such common law marriages are not recognised in French law.

The new law dispenses with public bans in such cases when the parties have become legally capable of marriage. The the marriage privately and no one is the wiser