LEAVE. FIRST READING. (Hansard, 19 February 1862)

§ SIR HUGH CAIRNS
I rise to ask leave of the House to introduce a Bill on the subject of the solemnization and registration of marriages in Ireland. Having towards the close of last Session introduced a similar Bill, and stated the objects of the measure, probably I shall best consult the convenience of the House by merely asking permission for the introduction of the same Bill, and deferring any lengthened remarks until the second reading. The main object of the Bill is to remove certain inconveniences and difficulties which have prevailed for a number of years with regard to marriages in Ireland, more especially with regard to marriages celebrated between persons belonging 490 to the various Protestant dissenting bodies. But inasmuch as to meet these inconveniences it is necessary to consider thoroughly the Act of Parliament which now regulates marriages in Ireland, and which was passed some fifteen or sixteen years ago, I propose to repeal entirely that Act, and to I introduce a Bill which, if accepted by the I House, will for the future form one complete code regulating all marriages in Ireland. At the same time, as any system for celebrating marriages would be incomplete without at the same time providing for their registration, I have appended to the Bill which I ask leave to introduce those clauses for the registration of marriages which were approved by the Select Committee of the House during the last Session of Parliament. I did not understand that it was the intention of the right hon. Baronet the Secretary for Ireland to introduce a Bill himself on the subject of the registration of marriages, although he has given notice of a Bill upon the subject of the registration of Births and Deaths; therefore I propose to append the clauses to which I have referred to the present Bill, If, on looking over the Bill, it meets the approval of Her Majesty's Government, and the right hon. Baronet will take charge of it in its future stages, I shall only be too happy to resign it into his hands. I am sure that the right hon. Baronet can confer no greater boon upon Ireland than by passing a Bill of this description.

§ SIR ROBERT PEEL
said, he had no intention of opposing the introduction of the Bill. What he had told the House the other night was, that it was his intention to introduce a Bill for the registration of Births and Deaths; but that a Bill for the registration of Marriages was under the consideration of Government, and he hoped to be able to introduce that Bill also. He quite agreed with what had fallen from the hon. and learned Gentleman as to the grievances of the Protestant Dissenters; and if the House would give a general system of registration in Ireland, great relief would be afforded.

§ MR. VINCENT SCULLY
said, he had not been aide to collect from the speeches which they had just heard whether the Bill was to go beyond the Protestant Dissenters. He wished to warn the hon. and learned Gentleman and the right hon. Baronet how they interfered with Roman Catholic marriages, which were celebrated in a manner satisfactory to the people of the country.

§ SIR HUGH CAIRNS
said, that in answer to the hon. Gentleman he had to state that the Bill in two respects proposed to deal with Roman Catholic marriages. First, as regarded their registration, it proposed those clauses which were agreed upon in Committee of the House last year; and secondly, it proposed the repeal of the old Act of George II., with regard to what were called mixed marriages, upon very much the principle which had been suggested by the late Lord Chancellor in the House of Lords, and to introduce provisions in place of that Act.