HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1953
The Foreign Marriage Ordinance (applicable where one at least of the parties to the intended marriage is a British subject) enables a person residing in the Colony to give notice of intended marriage with a person residing in a foreign country. The Marriage Ordinance applies to all marriages solemnized in the Colony, except non-Christian customary marriages. There is no legal obligation requiring banns to be published but the publication of notice, normally for a period of 15 days, is required. In exceptional circumstances the Governor may, by special licence, authorize the marriage to take place before the expiration of the normal period of notice. Marriages may be solemnized in any Church or place of worship licensed for that purpose, or may take place as civil marriages at the Registry. The total number of licensed places of worship is now 52.
The validity of Chinese customary marriages which are not registered at the Registry remains, of course, unaffected by the Marriage Ordinance. It has become apparent, however, that all classes of the Chinese community are becoming increasingly aware of the advantages of marriages properly recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Ordinance, as is evidenced by the fact that out of a total of 2,660 marriages registered in 1953 (an increase of 443 over 1952's total), 2,376 were between persons of Chinese race, 264 of these taking place in licensed places of worship, and 2,112 in the Registry, an unusual feature being that two of these were marriages between deaf mutes. Of the remaining 284 marriages, 158 took place in licensed places of worship and 126 in the Registry.
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