reprint of which incorporating a number of important amendments made by the Marriage (Amendment) Ordinance, 1960, is available, priced $1.50. Under the Ordinance as so amended, after a notice of intended marriage has been exhibited at the Registry for fifteen clear days, a certificate is issued which enables the marriage to be celebrated at a licensed place of worship, or contracted as a civil marriage before a Deputy Registrar. Where he is satisfied that there are special circum- stances justifying his doing so, the Registrar may issue the certificate at any time within the fifteen days. Under Section 12 the Governor may, when he sees fit, grant a special licence dispensing with notice. altogether or with the certificate of the Registrar or with both. Such licences are given only in very special circumstances.
66. The Marriage Ordinance does not apply to non-Christian custom- ary marriages duly celebrated according to the personal law and religion of the parties, and in spite of the rapid increase that has taken place in recent years in the number of marriages under the Ordinance, there are probably about as many unregistered marriages as registered. The position with respect to these un-registered marriages is far from satisfactory, the great majority being of doubtful validity since they are contracted not in accordance with the full traditional forms prescribed by Chinese custom, but in supposed conformity with Articles 980 to 988 of the Civil Code of the Nationalist Government of China. There are also large numbers of irregular unions in which the two parties live together, have children, and are regarded by themselves and others as to all intents and purposes married. This unsatisfactory position has long been a matter of concern to Government, and on 14th March 1961 there was published a Report by the Attorney General and the Secretary for Chinese Affairs stating the various problems and making provisional recommendations on how they should be dealt with. Following upon publication of the Report a very large number of comments were re- ceived from associations and individuals interested in the subject, and these are now under consideration by the Attorney General and Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
67. It is Government's policy to accelerate and assist the growing trend in favour of marriages under the Ordinance, and in addition to the principal Marriage Registry at the City Hall, full-time Marriage Registries have been established in the Causeway Bay Magistracy Build- ing and the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Building in Mong Kok. There are also 'part-time' Marriage Registries in operation at Aberdeen and Shau Kei Wan on Hong Kong Island, and at Tsuen Wan, Tai Po
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