137. The facilities in the New Territories were also improved by the opening on 12th July 1963 of a new combined full-time Births and Marriage Registry at Tai Po, and.on 7th February 1964 of a part-time Registry at the Sai Kung Rural Committee Office, which has kindly been made available for the purpose by the Rural Committee. The latter operates one day a week, and the first marriage was performed by the Registrar General on 13th March 1964 in the presence of many members of the Rural Committee. In addition to the new Tai Po Registry and the two full-time Registries opened in 1962-63 at Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long, a 'part-time' Registry continued to operate at Cheung Chau two days a month.
138.
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.
139. During the year twelve additional places of public worship were licensed for the celebration of marriages under the Ordinance, bringing the total number of licensed places to 101. As from 22nd July 1963 the Governor's power under section 4 of the Ordinance to license such places was delegated to and has been exercised by the Registrar General. All marriages performed at licensed places of worship are registered at the principal Registry in the City Hall.
Marriages performed and registered
140. A record number of 12,700 marriages were registered during the year, 1,513 more than in 1962-63 and 863 more than the previous record number set up in 1961-62. Of these 11,262 were civil marriages-an increase of 1,324 compared with the previous year's total of 9,938. The civil marriages were performed in the Registries as follows:
Hong Kong
Principal Registry, Hong Kong... Causeway Bay Registry
Aberdeen 'part-time' Registry
Shau Kei Wan 'part-time' Registry
Kowloon and New Kowloon
Kowloon Registry Farm Road Registry Kwun Tong Registry
...
4,802 497
...
曲曲
+++
3
17
...
5,319
5,204 108
128
5,440
388