(1) Any married person may present a petition to the court to have it presumed that the other party to the marriage is dead and to have the marriage dissolved.

(2) The court may, if it is satisfied that reasonable grounds for the application of the presumption exist, make a decree of presumption of death and dissolution of marriage.

(3) In any proceedings under this section, the fact that for a period of seven years or more the other party to the marriage has been continually absent from the petitioner and the petitioner has no reason to believe that the other party has been living within that time shall be evidence that the other party is dead until the contrary is proved.