The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1932. MARRIAGE LAW.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 November 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1932. MARRIAGE LAW.

I 'Amendments to the marriage law are ! among the bills brought forward in ; the House of Representatives last I week, and-though} they have not advanced much further than the introJ duction stage ther, e mate an interestj ing discussion thereon at the time I of their introduction and the second reading stage. In one of the amending bills provision is made for a woman who is a British subject to have the option of retaining her British nationality in the event of her marriage with an 'alien. It was explained by its sponsor, Mr P. Fraser, that it dealt with a subject that had been discussed at Imperial Conferences us well as by the representatl /es of the various members of the League♦of Nations at Geneva. Tfie present law embodied the 'Continental idea whereby a woman took the nationality of her husband, and his amendment brought the lav/ .into line with the British idea of nationality. The British idea was immensely superior to, that cf Germany, Russia, Sweden, France, and other Continental countries. Parliament had realised during the Great War the. hardship imposed on British women by reason of their marriage to those of "German extraction, and provision had been madie jn certain circumstances for such women + o resume their nationality. He couiu "never see why'a New Zealand 1 ginl who’ married, say us Swede should become a Swede and be denied, in this country the ordinary rights of citizenship because she fell in love: with a man iof other than her own nationality. At present such women were classed (as aliens in the country of their birth. This Bill was sent on to the Statute Revi ion Committee for report. Another Amending Bill on the same sTibject did nor go further than the second reading stage when it was defeat;?/.. The Bill .provided that a mm may marry hjis 'father’s deceased, brother’s, widow, his mother’s deceased! brother’s widow, hiV deceased wife’s father's' sister, his deceased wife’s mothor’s sister, his brother’s deceased so’i’s .widow, his sister’s deceased son’s widow. A wowan mpy n^rry.her father’s deceased sister’s her mother’s deeoa/ed sister’s husband, her deceased , husband’s father’s brother, her deceased hsband's mother's brother, her brother’s decoßtfed daughter’s husband, or her sister's deceased daughter’* husband. It,, was stated jib at the Bill was largely designed to bring New 'ZeaJhnd into line with English practice. It was not introduced for fun, and it was highly logical. It had recently been enacted that a man could marry his deceased wife’s sister, and other cases had now arisen- for which, it- was clear, provision should be made. As far as 'he provision that ya woman could officiate at a marriage ceremony was 'concerned, there was definitely an extensive dlemand for this, and. he thought the House would agree that a woman (should not be disqualified from officiating by reason of her sex or marriage. In- the coure of discussion the (Minister of Justice said the matter was of great importance to the public generally, and it should he.handled by Government. He suggested tbe Bill should 1 be drooped for tbe present, '.and he undertook the Government would deal with it during the recess. This cour-c was practically agreed to, the motion for the second rending being defeated, in view of the Minister’s promise of consideration.