THE MARRIAGE LAWS

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1923, Page 5

THE MARRIAGE LAWS

ALTERATIONS PROPOSED. SECTARIANISM AROUSED. THE MEASURE DELAYED. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Dec. 21, 8.5 p.m. Sydney, Dec. 21. In the Assembly the Ne Temere Decree Bill reached the second reading stage and the debate was adjourned. The Bill provides: Firstly, the legalisation of marriage between any person and the widow of his brother, or, conversely, of the marriage by a widow with her husband’s brother.’ Secondly, it makes it an offence to deny or im pugn the /validity of a lawful marriage, or to omit on the re-marriage of persons already lawfully married reference in the certificate to the fact that the parties already have been married. A penalty of £lOO either alone or with imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months, and disqualification irom the celebration of marriage, is provided for such offences. Mr. J. Ley (Minister for Justice), in moving the second reading of the Bill, said that during his short term of office over twenty cases had come un uer his notice that would have been dealt with under the provisions inserted in the Bill. He read the statutory declarations made in connection with several of these cases, showing that moral pressure had been brought to bear to secure re-marriage in the Roman Catholic Church where one of the parties was a Roman and the other a Protestant. He also read lengthy correspondence he had with Archbishop Kelly, to whom he submitted a draft of the Bill for suggestions, and to which the archbishop suggested a number of amendments. Mr. Ley denied that the measure was sectarian, or aimed at any 'particular sect or specially at the ne temere decree. There was a good deal of interruption and uproar during Mr. Ley’s speech, several members being warned. Mr. Lang (Leader of the Opposition) strongly denounced the Bill as sectarian and pandering to a few poor bigots. He declared that if it were passed it would be ignored as the New Zealand Act had been ignored. Mr. Bruiner (Leader of the Progressives) promised the party’s support for the Bill. The debate was adjourned by the application of the closure, and as the session has ended the Bill goes over to the next session, when a lively reception is anticipated for the further stages.