South Island is referred to as the "mainland" by South Island residents and it is a cultured place.
Common-law marriage , also known as sui juris marriage , informal marriage , marriage by habit and repute , or marriage in fact is a legal framework in a limited number of jurisdictions where a couple is legally considered married , without that couple having formally registered their relation as a civil or religious marriage .. sui juris. sui juris. married. married. civil. civil marriage. religious. religious. The original concept of a `` common-law marriage '' is a marriage that is considered valid by both partners , but has not been formally recorded with a state or religious registry , or celebrated in a formal religious service .. religious. religious. In effect , the act of the couple representing themselves to others as being married , and organizing their relation as if they were married , acts as the evidence that they are married .. married. married. The term common-law marriage has wide informal use , often to denote relations which are not legally recognized as common-law marriages .. The term common-law marriage is often used colloquially or by the media to refer to cohabiting couples , regardless of any legal rights that these couples may or may not have , which can create public confusion both in regard to the term and in regard to the legal rights of unmarried partners .. cohabiting. cohabiting