Provincial Secretary's Office,

Wellington, Nov. 29, 1854.

HIS HONOR THE SUPERINTENDENT has directed the publication of the following Notice, for general information.

By His Honor's command,
WILLIAM FITZHERBERT,
Provincial Secretary.

MARRIAGE ACT.

OFFICIATING MINISTERS FOR 1855.

The attention of the person or persons within the colony of New Zealand in whom is vested Ecclesiastical authority over any of the religious bodies enumerated in Schedule D, annexed to the "Marriage Act, 1854," viz.:

• The United Church of England and Ireland.
• The Church of Scotland.
• The Roman Catholic Church.
• The Free Church of Scotland.
• All Presbyterian Congregations.
• The Wesleyan Methodist Society.
• All Congregational Independents.
• Baptists.
• The Primitive Methodist Society.
• The Lutheran Church.
• All Hebrew Congregations.
• The Society of Friends, &c.

Also, the attention of Ministers of Religion not connected with any of these Bodies, who may desire to be placed on the list of "Officiating Ministers" within the meaning of this Act, is specially called to the following extracts from the Act aforesaid:

Any Minister of Religion whose name shall have been sent in to the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, or other Officer to be appointed by the Governor in that behalf, by the person or persons within the Colony in whom Ecclesiastical authority shall for the time being be vested, or reputed to be vested, over any of the Religious Bodies enumerated in the Schedule D to this Act annexed, shall, subject to the conditions hereinafter mentioned... an Officiating Minister within the meaning of this Act, and the name of every such Minister of Religion shall be certified under the hand or hands of the person or persons aforesaid, and shall be entered and published as hereinafter provided.

Provided always, that any Minister of Religion not connected with any of the Bodies enumerated in the aforesaid schedule to this Act annexed, who shall present to any Registrar a certificate signed by twenty-four householders resident in the district for which such Registrar shall be appointed, declaring that such Minister is their Officiating Minister, shall be entitled to have his name inserted in the list of Officiating Ministers in the meaning of this Act. Provided always that such certificate shall be attested by two Justices of the Peace; and such attested certificate shall be sent in to the Registrar-General or other Officer as aforesaid anew in the month of December in every year, and no such attested certificate presented to any Registrar by any Minister as aforesaid, shall continue in force unless renewed in like manner.

The several Ecclesiastical authorities as aforesaid of the respective Religious Bodies shall send in to the said Registrar-General, or other Officer as aforesaid, a correct list of such Officiating Ministers in the month of December every year.

It will therefore be necessary that the names of all officiating Ministers, duly certified, be sent in to me before the termination of the month of December next ensuing, in order that all such names may be entered in the list, a copy of which will be published in January, 1855, in the New Zealand Government Gazette.

JOHN B. BENNETT,
Registrar-General.

Registrar-General's Office,
Auckland, Oct. 31st, 1854.

Erratum.—In the Gazette of 9th November last, at page 117, in the Return of Imports of New Zealand produce, for 81,540 lbs. of wool, read 18,540 lbs.