CO885-(13-15) — Page 176

}

19,938,

}

No. 192.

(WESTERN PACIFIC.)

LAW OFFICERS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

MY LORD,

Royal Courts of Justice, We were honoured with your Lordship's commands, signified in Sir Robert Herbert's letter of the 15th ultimo, stating that he was directed by your Lordship to

October 9, 1890. refer us to section 6 of the Pacific Islanders Protection Act, 1875, in connexion with the accompanying correspondence respecting marriages in the Pacific Islands, and to request that we would be good enough to advise your Lordship whether in our opinion an Order in Council under the section above referred to, and purporting to be for the government of Her Majesty's subjects, would be sufficient to give legal validity to marriages solemnised by missionaries in the islands of the Pacific, between persons of whom one was a subject of Her Majesty. That if so the draft of the proposed Order would be submitted to us in due course for approval.

We have taken the matter into our consideration and, in obedience to your Lordship's commands, have the honour to

Report

That in our opinion an Order in Council would be sufficient to give legal validity in this country where one of the parties was a British subject, and everywhere, when both were British subjects, to marriages celebrated by missionaries, assuming such marriages not to be otherwise contrary to the laws of this country.

The Right Hon.

Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G.,

&c.

&c. &c.

We have, &c.,

(Signed) RICHARD E. WEBSTER.

EDWARD CLARKE.

01307.-28. 25-10/90.

1 2 3

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

2

C.O.8

Reference :-

885

13 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

4