416
i
The only Ordinance relating to marriages 1:1 off 1852, enables parties to contract a Civil marriage before a Marriage Registrar, and provides for the registration of such marriages, but does not affect
marriages solemnized by persons in Holy Orders.
There is
no
official record of marriages so solemmiged the register of St John' Cattudral and of the Roman Catholic Churches being the private property of the Ecclesiastial authorities of the two denominations
The objects of this Ordinance are:
(1) To provide a General Register of all maniages hereafter to be selebrated in the Colony, without prejudice to the existing Church Registers, if the authorities think fit to continue them
well.
ad
(2.) To place all denominations upon an equal
as
footing in respeed to the celebration of marriage and to enable all competent ministers of all
places of public worship to celebrate marriage, when the requirements of the civil pover to notice rs have been complied with. At the present time, ministers of religion who are not in Aoly Orders can
only marry persons belonging to their denonimation if a Marriage Registrar be present, and if the formalities
prescribed by Ordinance No1 of 1862 have
been duly performed.
With the view of collecting at the Registren Generalé Office, the evidence of marriages already celebrated, -all existing registers or ecitified copies
are
to be
delivered to the Registrar Imeral; and for future
marriages the certificate of celebration is to be
made in duplicate
one
Copy
to be delivered to
the
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