Feb. 7.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 211

18. Unless the informant states that the child was born in lawful wedlock, or is the posthumous child of lawfully married persons, or that the parents were at the time of the birth living together as man and wife, or produces the written admission of any person that he is the father of the child, the Registrar (subject however to the provisions of section 15 of the Destitute Persons Act, 1910) shall not enter in the register the name of any person as the father of the child.

IV. Registration of Deaths of Maoris.

19. Upon the death of any Maori the particulars required to be registered concerning such death shall be furnished to the Registrar nearest by the most convenient route to the place where the death occurred, within the following period, that is to say: Where the death occurred in the North Island, within two weeks after the date of death, and where the death occurred in the South Island or the Chatham Islands, within three days after the date of death if it occurred in a borough, and within seven days in any other case: Provided that any other Registrar may register such death if it is shown to his satisfaction that any person whose duty it is to give such information could not, without considerable difficulty, delay, or expense, attend at the office of the Registrar first above mentioned. In such case the Registrar who registers such death shall immediately notify the fact to the Registrar nearest to the place where the death occurred.

20. The persons hereinafter specified shall be responsible for duly furnishing to the Registrar as aforesaid, the particulars required to be registered in respect of the death of any Maori:—

(a) The undertaker or other person having charge of the burial:

(b) Every occupier of the house or building in which the death took place:

(c) Any person present at such death:

(d) Any registered medical practitioner who has attended the deceased during his last illness:

(e) Any person employed as a District Nurse by either the Government or a Hospital Board who has attended the deceased during his last illness:

Provided that any person on whom responsibility is imposed by paragraph (d) or paragraph (e) of this regulation shall not be required to attend at the office of the Registrar, but may, in lieu of such attendance, deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Registrar notification of such death, and on receipt of such notification the Registrar shall make inquiry as to the person or persons liable to give information touching the death so reported or so remaining unregistered, and shall take the necessary steps to ensure the registration thereof.

21. Notwithstanding anything in the last preceding regulation, if any of the persons therein enumerated duly furnishes the required information, the others of those persons shall thereupon be released from the obligation to furnish such information.

22. The Registrar may register the death of any Maori upon being furnished with the required particulars by—

(a) The Chairman or any member of a Maori Council or of a Komiti Maere having a knowledge of the facts:

(b) Any minister of religion officiating in the district and having a knowledge of the facts:

(c) Any person performing the burial service in respect of the deceased and having a knowledge of the facts:

(d) Any person who satisfies the Registrar that he is possessed of the necessary knowledge of the facts and that the information supplied by him is correct.

23. On receipt of the particulars of the death of any Maori as aforesaid the Registrar shall register the death by entering such particulars in the Register of Deaths and on a duplicate sheet to be supplied for the purpose by the Registrar-General.

24. On receipt of any particulars as to the death of any Maori which the Registrar deems sufficient, the Registrar may register the death by entering such particulars in the Register of Deaths and on the duplicate sheet aforesaid, notwithstanding that the full particulars required by these regulations have not been furnished.

25. Upon completing the entries in the register and on the duplicate sheet aforesaid, the Registrar shall request the informant, if then present, to sign the same, but the informant shall not be obliged to sign such entries if he objects so to do.

26. On the death of any Maori who has been attended during his last illness by a registered medical practitioner, that practitioner shall forthwith sign and deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the undertaker or person in charge of the burial a certificate, on the printed form to be supplied for that purpose by the Registrar-General, stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the causes of death, the duration of the last illness of the deceased, and such other particulars as may be required by the Registrar-General. The particulars set forth in the said certificate shall be entered, together with the name of the certifying medical practitioner, in the Register of Deaths and on the duplicate sheet.

27. When the dead body of any Maori is found exposed, any constable to whom the fact is known shall forthwith inform the nearest Registrar thereof, and of the place where such dead body was found.

28. When an inquest is held on the dead body of any Maori, the Coroner holding the same shall, within three days after the holding of the inquest if held in a borough, or seven days in any other case, notify to the Registrar nearest by the most convenient route to the place where the death occurred the finding of the Coroner or of the jury, as the case may be, with all other particulars required to be registered concerning the death; and the Registrar shall make the entry in his register-book and duplicate sheet accordingly.

29. No person shall bury, or permit to be buried, or take part in the burial of the body of any deceased Maori unless and until there has been obtained in respect of that deceased person:—

(a) A certificate of cause of death signed by a duly registered medical practitioner;

(b) A Coroner’s order to bury the body; or

(c) A Registrar’s certificate of registration of the death.

Every person who commits a breach of this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine of five pounds.

30. Every Registrar, immediately on registering the death of any Maori, or as soon thereafter as he is required to do so, shall, without fee or reward, give, or cause to be given, to the undertaker or other person having charge of the burial a certificate that the death has been duly registered.

31. A Coroner may at any time make an order for the burial of the dead body of a Maori upon which he has decided to hold an inquest or in respect of which he has decided that no inquest is necessary. Every such order shall be in writing under the Coroner’s hand, addressed to the undertaker or other person having charge of the burial.

32. Every certificate by the Registrar or order of the Coroner as aforesaid shall be delivered by the undertaker or other person having charge of the burial to the minister or person who is to perform any religious or funeral service for, or at the burial.

33. Every person to whom any such certificate or order has been given who fails to deliver the same as aforesaid is liable on summary conviction of a fine of two pounds.

34. Every undertaker or other person who buries any dead body of a Maori shall forthwith sign and transmit to the Registrar nearest to the place where the death occurred a burial-certificate in the form prescribed in the Fourth Schedule hereto. Such burial-certificate shall be countersigned by the minister or other person officiating at the burial, or by two respectable witnesses of the burial.

35. The particulars stated in the burial-certificate shall be entered in the Register of Deaths as part of the entry of the person buried.

36. Every undertaker or other person who buries any dead body of a Maori and fails to cause a burial-certificate to be transmitted as aforesaid is liable on summary conviction to a fine of five pounds.

37. Where no certificate by the Registrar or order of the Coroner as aforesaid is delivered to the minister or other person who is to perform any religious or funeral service for or at the burial of any dead body of a Maori, such minister of person shall, unless he countersigns a burial-certificate as aforesaid, be bound to give or forward, within forty-eight hours, written notice of the burial to the nearest Registrar. If he fails so to do he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of five pounds.

38. Forthwith upon the receipt of a report from a constable of the death of any Maori, as hereinbefore provided, or on receipt of a notice of the burial of a dead body in respect of which no certificate of registration of death has been given under Regulation No. 30 hereof, the Registrar shall make inquiry as to the person or persons liable to give information touching the death so reported or so remaining unregistered, and shall take all necessary steps to ensure the registration thereof.

V. General Provisions.

39. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of these regulations, it shall be lawful for the Registrar-General to authorize the registration under these regulations of any birth or death of a Maori which occurred in New Zealand, whether before or after the commencement of these regulations, but which has not been theretofore registered, provided satisfactory evidence is produced and he is satisfied as to the facts.

40. The Registrar shall, in the months of January, April, July, and October in each year, transmit to the Registrar-General the duplicate sheets of all registrations of the births and deaths of Maoris effected by him during the three months last past, and shall certify on each such sheet that the entries therein are a correct copy of the corresponding entries in the Register of Births or the Register of Deaths, as the case may be. Where any such duplicates are lost or mislaid the