Page:Marriage with a deceased wife s sister.pdf/30

25 Mr. : With respect to the matter before the Chair, I could hardly acquiesce in the propriety of bringing any pressure to bear upon Her Majesty’s Government suggesting legislation upon this matter, which has been so often and so prominently before the legislature of this country. There is no difficulty in any of the Colonial legislatures passing a Bill giving effect to marriage with a deceased wife’s sister, or not, as they please In the Colony that I have the honour to represent, I think the matter has never come up, and probably if it did, as there are a very large number of Roman Catholics in the country (a persuasion to which I may say I do not belong) I think they would probably oppose the Bill; and between them and the Church of England, which would probably represent two—thirds of the legislature, they would probably not pass the Bill, and we should then practically be in the same position as the people of England are. So when we Colonists come over here I think we ought to be satisfied to take the law as we find it in this country. A man if he does marry his deceased wife’s sister can always protect his property by the operation of his will; and I think, with all due deference to other members of the Conference, it would be rather out of place for us to suggest legislation to the