Wedding leads to court

A Department of Internal Affairs prosecution of two men charged with allowing a non-registered celebrant to conduct a wedding is going to a two-day defended hearing before a judge.

Geoffrey Robert Topham Hall, 55, of Pines Beach, near Kaiapoi, and Maurice Manawaroa Gray, a minister, of the Christchurch suburb of Cashmere, each face two charges.

Hall, a trainee of Gray, is said to have performed the ceremony even though not qualified, and Gray did not stop him.

A trial date will be set in the Christchurch District Court on May 25.