REGISTRAR FOR CATLINS.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 160, 3 August 1877, Page 6

REGISTRAR FOR CATLINS.

1 ■■ ■*$ The following letter, which explains itself, has been handed to us for publication : — Registrar General's Office, July 19, 1877. Sir, — I have the honour to inform you, in reply to the petition received by me for the formation of nevr Registrar's district at Catlins River, that as the whole number of births registered in the Clutha district in 1876 only amounted to 39— of these 7 occurred near the Catlins River and 3 afc Owake Flat— l do not think 10 birbhs a sufficient number to warrant the Government in incurring the annual expense of a new registration district. I cannot but think tho residents of the Owake and Catlins River district must be unaware of the provision of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1875, by which any person requiring to register a birth or death may, in writing, depute an agent (who should, however, in no case be the Registrar, as a-uy entry so made would be illegal and valueless,) to attend at tho Registrar's office, and effect the registration on his behalf. I enclose some forms which I have had prepared for distribution 1 by Registrax-s, so that persons at a distance

from tho Registrar's office may avail themselves of this provision of tho Act, and thus relieve themselves from the inconvenience tliat would be felt by having to attend in person at the office, as a friend in the neighbourhood of the Registrar's office, or somo ono going there, might attend at the Registrar's office for the purpose of registration. This provision of tho Act was especially intended to meet the difficulties experienced by out-settlers, and thus avoid the necessity for an extreme subdivision of tho Colony. I have sent somo forms to Mr Macandrew, tho teacher at Catlins River, for distribution, so the persons requiring to register may be aware of this provision and act accordingly. There is one fact connected with subdivisions of districts, whicli perhaps was not known to the residents of your district. Under tho Marriage Acts, if the parties to tho marriage reside in different Registrar's districts, a separate certificate, at a cost of £1 2s 6d, is required from each Registrar. So that to subdivide means to tax persons intending marriage to the extent of £1 2s Gd if they should select a wife outside their district. The tax is not much fe]t with the present sized districts, but -would, be a cause of complaint if the districts were made very small, for as a rule persons arc apt to go a little from home to select their life-partners. I havo the honour to be, etc., Wm. B. T. Brown, Registrar-G eneral. J. W. Thomson, Esq.