63. There are now 82 places of public worship of various denomina- tions licensed as places for the celebration of marriages under the Ordinance, including three places licensed by the Governor during the year. All marriages performed at such places are registered at the principal Registry in the Supreme Court Building.
Marriages Registered and Performed
64. With the expansion of the facilities for the performance of civil marriages it is not surprising that the number of such marriages increased by 1,113 over the previous year's total of 8,776 to a new record total of 9,889. These marriages were performed in the Registries as follows:
Hong Kong
Principal Registry, Supreme Court Causeway Bay Registry
Aberdeen 'Part-time' Registry
Shau Kei Wan 'Part-time' Registry
Kowloon
Kowloon Registry
New Territories.
Cheung Chau 'Part-time' Registry Tai Po 'Part-time' Registry
Tsuen Wan 'Part-time' Registry Yuen Long 'Part-time' Registry
Total
3,984
308
22
91
4,405
5,267
11
55
98
53
217
9,889
In addition, 1,156 marriages celebrated in licensed places of worship were registered, bringing the total number of marriages registered in the year to the new record figure of 11,045. Of these 10,684 were marriages between Chinese parties.
65. The winter being far more popular for marriages than the summer, a heavy strain is always placed on the Registries in the winter months. During these months the parties have to book well ahead if they wish to get married on a particular day, especially if that happens to be one of the popular lucky days. Last year's record total of 1,018 marriages registered in one month (in December 1959) was exceeded in each of the four months from December 1960, the new record being the total of 1,392 in January 1961. Such was the pressure on the Registries in February 1961 that the principal Registry and Kowloon Registry performed marriages up to 7 p.m. during the whole week preceding the Chinese New Year holidays.
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