THE COLONIAL MARRIAGE LAW.

Kumara Times, Issue 644, 21 October 1878, Page 2

THE COLONIAL MARRIAGE LAW.

Some surprise has 'been felt at the Imperial Government disallowing the Bill legallising marriages with deceased wives' sisters passed by the Natal Legislature, after, similar Bills passed by other Colonies had received the Royal assent. The following extract from the [ proceedings in Pa'liameut on July 23rd gives the explanation of the apparent inconsistency : Mr -K.na.tch bull Hngessen asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (with Reference to an answer given by the Under-secretary of State for the Colonies on the 18tli of January last) whether the Bill passed by the colonial Legislature of Western Australia for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister, which, having been amended according to the suggestions of the Law Officers of the Crown, was received at the }>lonial Office on the 22nd of October, 1877, had now received Her Majesty's assent, and,, if not, what was the reason of the delay; whether a similar Bill-had been received from Natal, and whether the Royal assent had been given to such Bill ; and whether similar Bills had been received .from any other colonies besides those whose Bills had received the Koyal assent. Sir M. Hicks-Beach—The Bill passed by the Colonial Legislature of Western Australia for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister has received Her Majesty's assent. No similar Bill has been received from any other colony except Natal, and the Koyal assent has not been given to that measure. It was the first occasion on which a South African Legislature had passed such a Bill; the measure was opposed by considerable, and increasing minorities on i its various stages, and was finally only carried by the Speaker's casting vote. Under these circumstances, I did not consider myself justified in advising Her Majesty to sanction the establishment for. the first -time of a different law iu Natal from the rest of South Africa on a subject like ra'ar.ria»e, as to which, it | is obviously important that the law in neighboring communities slioul I he uniform, and which was doubtless on this account included by the Somh Africa Art of 1877 among the subjects to which the Legislature authority of the Union Parliament should extend, in the event of the union of the South African 'Colonies under one Government. The

matter is therefore left open for further consideration in the colony. [Hear, hear.]