MARRIAGE LAWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1920, Page 5

MARRIAGE LAWS.

FURTHER LEGISLATION PROPOSED. FIRST RECEPTION IS HOSTILE. By Teleernph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) (Hon. J. MacGregor)_ was introduced in the Legislative Council this afternoon and read a flret time. When Mr. MacGregor moved that the seconll reading be made an order of the day for to-morrow week, the Hon. W. J. Geddis said he would adopt the unusual course of moving an amendment that the second reading be set down for this day six months. He said the spirit of religious intolerance and bigotry was spreading, and there were graver issueß before the country than the question of religious belief. Several points of order were raised, members saying they only had the title before them, to which Mr. Geddis replied that the Bill had been explained in the newspapers. Ultimately he agreed to withdraw his amendment if the Council was insufficiently informed, but he said he would return to the matter on the second reading. Members: "Hear, hear; that is the proper time." The Bill provides that the RegistrarGeneral is not to enter on the lißt of officiating ministers: (a) The name of any bishop, priest, or minister of the Roman Catholic Church so long as the ne temere decree or chapter 1 of the decree of the Council of Trent (referred to in the ne iemere decree) is in force in New Zealand; (b) the name of any bishop, priest, or minister of any Church which by any articles of religion, confession of faith, cjceed, or catechism denies or questions, either directly or by implication, the validity in any sense of marriages solemnised in accordance with the Marriage Act.