Section 1: In this Act, unless a contrary intention appears—

"court" means the High Court; "date of legitimation" means the date on which a person becomes legitimate or is recognised as such by virtue of this Act; "disposition" means an assurance of any interest in property by any instrument whether inter vivos or by will; "entailed interest" means an interest in tail or in tail male or in tail female or in tail special; 6 No. 7 Legitimacy 1989 "intestate" includes a person who leaves a will but dies intestate as to some beneficial interest in his movable or immovable estate; "legitimated person" means a person legitimated by this Act; "marriage" means—(a) a marriage which is recognised by the law of the place where it is contracted as the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others; or (b) a marriage entered into and subsisting between persons professing the Islamic faith which is valid according to Islamic Law or registered under the Islamic Marriage Act or any law governing the registration of such marriage in any other country and the words "husband" and "wife" shall be construed accordingly; or [Margin: Cap. 96.] (c) any marriage contracted or entered into in accordance with customary law and practice; "Minister" means the Minister for the time being responsible for the registration of births and deaths.