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Market, Yuen Long and Cheung Chau in the New Territories. Mar- riages are performed at these part-time Registries one day a week except at Cheung Chau where they are performed two days a month. Notices of marriage are exhibited at the Registry where given and also at the principal Marriage Registry, to which records of all marriages are sent for permanent retention.
68. Under Section 22(3)(b) of the Ordinance, where the Registrar is satisfied that he and the parties and witnesses all understand the Chinese language or the same dialect thereof, the marriage may be celebrated wholly in that language or dialect, and the majority of Registry marriages are now celebrated in Chinese without an interpreter, The form of marriage certificate incorporates a Chinese translation of the printed English text, but is completed in English only.
69. There are now 88 places of public worship of various denomina- tions licensed as places for the celebration of marriages under the Ordinance, including six places licensed by the Governor during the year. All marriages performed at these places are registered at the principal Registry in the City Hall.
Marriages Performed and Registered
70. The total number of civil marriages increased by 703 over the previous year's total of 9,889 to 10,592. These marriages were per- formed in the Registries as follows:
Hong Kong
Principal Registry, Hong Kong
4,060
Causeway Bay Registry
497
Aberdeen 'part-time' Registry
15
Shau Kei Wan 'part-time' Registry
77
4,749
Kowloon
Kowloon Registry
New Territories
5,493
10,242
Cheung Chau 'part-time' Registry Tai Po 'part-time' Registry
12
138
Tsuen Wan 'part-time' Registry Yuen Long 'part-time' Registry
143
57
350
Total
10,592
In addition, 1,245 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 11,837.
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