Registrar General, official reoords of possession of private o 1889, No. 7, sec. 3

supplemented deemed to be original. ibid, sec. i Sealed copies evfdenee°of be marriage. ibid, sec. 5 Mamage with sister S vaiid l{es -1880, No. 57, see. 2

Sealed copies thereof to be evidence of marriage. Ibid, see. 5

Marriage with deceased wife's sister valid. 1880, No. 57, aeo. 2

41. The Registrar-General for the colony, on receiving from any parties to a marriage, or any witness thereto, or from any person on behalf of either of the said parties or of any of their issue, an original certiiicate of the solemnisation of such marriage purporting to be signed by the Officiating Minister or Registrar who solemnised the same, or a certificate of the solemnisation of the said . . , „ . , , . , marriage purporting to be a copy of an entry made by the said Officiating Minister or Registrar in a marriage register-book, signed by some person being an Officiating Minister or Registrar, and on being satisfied of the authenticity thereof, and of the nonexistence of the marriage register-book wherein an entry of the solemnisation of such marriage should have been made, or of the loss or destruction thereof, and of the prior issue of the Registrar's certificate authorising such marriage, may accept the said certificate as if the same were a true copy, certified by an Officiating Minister or Registrar under his hand, of an entry of marriage in the registerbook kept by him, and bind the same up with his official records. The said Registrar-General, for the purpose of establishing the authenticity of any marriage certificate as aforesaid, may examine witnesses on oath, and may administer oaths to such witnesses, and may require any other proof, by affidavit, declaration, or otherwise as lie shall think fit. 42. Every certificate as aforesaid sent to the Registrar-General shall, before it is accepted by him as an official record, be indorsed with the date of the receipt thereof, the names of the parties from whom he received it, with a short statement of the circumstances attending the case; and to this indorsement he shall attach his name and seal of office. 43. A certified copy made or given by the Registrar-General, purporting to be signed by him, of any marriage certificate as aforesaid which is accepted by the Registrar-General as an official record, shall be received as primd facie evidence in any Court of justice within the colony of the fact of the marriage to which it relates having been solemnised. The Registrar-General shall, as soon as may be, transmit to the parties from whom he received a certificate which has been accepted by him as an official record a certified copy of such certificate free of any charge. Valid and Invalid Marriages. 44. Every marriage between any person and his deceased wife's sister which has heretofore been or which shall hereafter be contracted and solemnised before any minister of religion or Registrar duly authorised to solemnise marriages, shall be deemed to have been and be valid and binding; and the issue born or hereafter to be born of such marriages shall be deemed to have been and to be born in lawful wedlock : Provided that this Act shall not render valid any such. marriage in any case where either of the parties of such marriage shall thereafter before the passing of " The Deceased Wife's Sister Marriage Act, 1880," have lawfully intermarried with any other person, nor shall the passing of this Act deprive, or be held to have deprived, any person of any property which such person may have

10

Marriage Acts Compilation.