CO129-533-8 Validity of marriages performed in foreign consulates 14-2-1931 - 20-2-1931 — Page 8

8

Offren. Under this lower manager must

late Hace before a Registrar

7 Marrages in his Office

(lection 21)

or

before a competent minister

in a licensed place of worship (Sec: 19);

the Governor may appoint Registran specially

می شود

thinker fol (Sec. 2);

or allow the

marriage at any plase by special licence (£.!!).

It appears, therefore, that

The Garner would there grant a special

license for a mariage et a

Forsgn consulate.

While thake is apparently nothing to frohibi's

Separate formalities buing conducted by a

Ga

Consel, where one of the parke's belongs to the country represented by the conced, forth purpose of the marnage bung bergarised in

im temateme

would

that country, sunt formalities pret not

Con the

""marnage", without a

Sperial luince

before a Registrar

or without the ceremony

or minister in the prop

place. Beringe" would not be

Valid wi

Đang trong

Iz

Page

Page

9 -END

age 9

In any further communication

on this subject, please quote

No. T 2035/2035/376.

and address-

not to any person by name,

but to-

The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

Immediate.

RECEIVED

1 6FEB 1931

COL.OFFICE

FOREIGN OFFICE.

S.W.1.

14th February, 1931.

Sir,

I am directed by Mr. Secretary Henderson to inform

2

you that the Counsellor of the Belgian Embassy called recently

at this department and stated that the Belgian Government

were considering the question of authorising their Consul

General at Hong Kong to celebrate marriages between Belgian

subjects and foreign women, but before doing so they would

be glad to learn whether there was any difficulty, under the

laws in force in Hong Kong, in the way of the marriage of a

Belgian subject with a foreign woman being solemnised before

the local authorities.

Mr. Henderson would be glad to receive the

observations of Lord Passfield as to the reply which should

be returned to the Belgian Embassy, and, in particular, to

learn whether the laws in force in Hong Kong permit the

solemnisation of marriages by a foreign Consular Officer.

Coly $45.C

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

1

age 9

P

P

7

-

10

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