HC Deb 26 February 1863 vol 169 cc855-6
MR. MONSELL

said, he rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to provide for the Registration of Marriages in Ireland. The object was to provide for the registration of marriages which were not at present registered—namely, the marriages of Roman Catholics, and he had no intention to touch the separate question of the Law of Marriage in Ireland. Care was taken in the provisions of the Bill not to make the priests in any way servants of the State, and to adopt the principle of the Scotch law for the registration of Roman Catholic marriages in Scotland. The parties to the marriage would be bound, within three days after its celebration, to send a sche- dule to the registrar of births and deaths, under a penalty of £10, and the registrar would forward it to the Registrar General.

SIR ROBERT PEEL

said, that as to mixing up the questions of the registration of marriages and the law of marriages, they had the authority of the hon. Member for Dundalk that the two questions were intimately blended together. He trusted some provision would be made to prevent the possibility of forged schedules being sent to the registrar. It was very desirable that some Bill should be passed, and he should be happy to give any assistance in his power. But he hoped some little time would be given for the consideration of the Bill before the second reading.

MR. M'CANN

said, he doubted whether the Bill would work at all.

MR. MAGUIRE

was sure his hon. Friend would give ample time for the consideration of the Bill before the second reading.

SIR GEORGE BOWYER

said, he retained the opinion that the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary had acted wisely in not including marriages in his Bill for the Registration of Births and Deaths. The great desideratum was to have a register of the bare fact that marriage between certain parties was solemnized on a certain day, without regard to the validity of the marriage. It would be difficult to keep the legal question separate, but he wished the hon. Gentleman every success.

Motion agreed to.

Bill to provide for the Registration of Marriages in Ireland, ordered to be brought in by Mr. MONSELL, Lord NAAS, and Mr. HERBERT.

Bill presented, and read 1°. [Bill 39.]