MARRIAGE AGE OF 16 FOR BOTH SEXES

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7281, 7 October 1933, Page 6

MARRIAGE AGE OF 16 FOR BOTH SEXES

Second Reading of Amendment Bill

FOLLOWING THE LEAD OF ENGLAND

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. In moving the second reading of the Marriage Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives this afternoon, lion. J. G. Cobbc said it had been introduced at the instigation of the National Council of Women of New Zealand. It seemed to be a measure that appealed to everyone who took an interest m tho welfare of young people. He pointed out that under the present law tho marriage age was 14 for boys and .12 for girls, and the Bill proposed to raise the age to 10 for both sexes. There had been quite a number of marriages iu New Zealand of girls of 14 or 15. Mr. H. E. Holland (leader of tho Opposition): Do any of the churches object to the Bill" Mr. Cobbc: No.

Continuing, the Minister said a similar raising of the marriage age lmd been passed into law iu England, 'due Bill also gave power to women ministers of religion to perform the marriage ceremony.

Mrs. McCombs congratulated the Government on the introduction of tho measure. Who said it represented a very distinct step forward in the reform of the Dominion’s social laws. The Bill was read a second time.