The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-11-26
Cupid PLAYED
SCURW TRICKS

time in trying 10 get married legal.
in Japan. He found that a Consula
marriage to be legal must be previous
ly registered with the japanese OF
fcials and then that japanese regis
| try could only be had after the mar
riage had taken place. The kob
Chronicle discusses the matter as fol
lows:
A curious situation affecting tn
position Of American citizens as re
CARDS the marriage law of the Unitet
States and Japan has recently beer
brought 10 our attention. Mr.. J. A
Low, an American citizen. arrived IL
this country week or two ago from
vladivostok in order that a marriage
might be solemnized between him and
lady, Miss Crabb, who was a British
subject. The marriage was TO take
place on Sunday, the 27th ultimo, al
Kyoto at the American Episcopal
church. and Mr.. Low wrote to Mr..
Gassett, the American Acting Consul
at Kobe, requesting him TO be present.
Mr.. Gassett courteOusly replied by
telegram expressing his willingness.
but pointed out that a marriage could
not take place before the American
Consular authorities until the parties
had first registered the marriage with
the japanese authorities. Notwith-
standing this, the marriage duly took
place in the American Episcopal church
at kyoto before the Rev. W. ]. Cpth-
bert. who issued the usual certificate
of marriage. it being intended TO make
the registration at the Kobe Consulate
subsequently. Mr.. Low then came to
found that, just as he had been in
formed by telegram, a regulation ex-
listed, issued by the late American
Ambassador on March 22nd last, which
made the registration Of a marriage
before the japanese authorities a nee
esSary preliminary 10 a registration or
solemnization before an American
Consul. Returning to Kyoto. he pro-
ceeded to the City Office. and there
found. as was TO be expected by any
one who knows anything of Japanese
law. that there existed no machinery
by which marriages could be perform
ed there, the authorities merely regis
tering such marriages after they had
been reported TO them. Mr.. Low
thought this somewhat unsatisfac-
tory method of procedure, and, again
coming TO Kobe, he drew up a con-
tract Of civil marriage between him
self and the lady, and made the mar
riase certificate a part of il. This was
perforce registered at the American
Consulate instead of the marriage be-
ing performed or registered by the
Consul, and the condition of prior reg
istration before the japanese authori-
ties was thus avoided.
Mr.. Low holds-and We quite agree
with him-that in the interests Of
American citizens some wider public
ity should be given 10 the new regula-
ton than il has yet received. The
certificate now issued by the
American Consular service in Japan.
after reciting the necessary particulars
Of the age, nationality. etc, of the
parties, certiies that "the respective
parties were united in marriage before
me and in my presence, and that of
who performed the ceremony,
and that such marriage has been duly
and is in accordance with
the laws Of japan"
Now it will be remarked that the
American certificate declares the par
ties TO be united in marriage before
me" (the American ConsuD. That
surely constitutes the legal marriage
according to the law of the United
States How, then. can the certificate
90 on TO declare that the marriage
which has only then taken place has
already been duly registered and is in
with the laws of Japan?
As a matter of fact there is no cere-
nory of marriage according to Japa-l
lese law. The Civil Code merely de-
,lares that marriage takes effect |
when notice of the fact is given to a |
'egistrar." Such notice may be given |
.ither verbally or by a document bear |
ng the signatures of the parties con-
'erned and of two witnesses. We
,ould understand the American En- |
sassy advising citizens Of the United |
States resident in this country to reg
ster marriages with the japanese au-
horities after the ceremony at the |
Consulate. We cannot understand why /
,rior registration of what, in American |
aw. is not a marriage at all should !
De required before the American GER
ificate is issued. Nor can we under
itand why those who do not intend to /
eside in this country, but are merely /
,assing through il, should be required |
o go through any such formality.
Suppose the japanese law contained |
iome provision regarding the celebra-
ion of a marriage which was contrary
o American law,-would it be neces-
AIRY for an American citizen to cem-
'ly with the one before he could be /
egistered under the other?
Why or on what grounds there 1
hould be any necessity, as is implied |
n the dispatch of Mr.. Luke E. Wight l
track encirclng it The tennis court
will be on terrace just below it and
nearer the spring. Pauahi Hall and
Charles R. Bishop Hall face each 9TH
ield.
The Presidents house occupies a |
point of vantage just under Rocky
HilI, and but for the tall algaroba |
trees would command a view of the
whole grounds.
The institution has an artesian |
water supply OF its own, but for fire
protection a city main has been
brought right through the grounds
and hydrants placed at suitable inter-
Fals
These new buildings presenting al
most panoramicalfy the new building
plan. were thrown open to