drop in Kowloon and New Kowloon was only 4.77% and the increase in the New Territories was 0.08%. Whether this is due to marked differences in the age groups or the social, economic or other circum- stances of women residing in the various districts or to more intense activities of the Hong Kong Family Planning Association on the Island, one can only speculate.
154. On the Island, despite the decreases in all other districts, there was an increase of 157 at Shau Kei Wan, no doubt due to the rapidly increasing population at Chai Wan, and a smaller increase of 14 at Queen Mary Hospital. In Kowloon and New Kowloon the number registered at Kwun Tong increased by 705, due mainly to the continued development in that area, while at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Registry there was a substantial increase of 1,013. In the New Territories, while there were declines in most areas, these were offset by increases, the most notable of which were 531 at Tsuen Wan, 87 at Sai Kung, 38 at Ha Tsuen and 33 at Tuen Mun.
155. 613 multiple births were registered in 1965, 603 of twins and 10 of triplets, producing altogether 1,236 liveborn babies. 72 births were registered as illegitimate, as compared with 16 in 1964. The births registered also included 50 foundlings.
Post Registration of Births
156. Owing to the absence of facilities for registration in the New Territories until 1932, very few births in the villages were registered before then. In that year facilities were provided for registration at various places in the New Territories, but a great many villagers still neglected to register the births of their children. Under modern condi- tions a birth certificate has, at least for the young, become practically essential, and for many years past there has been a constant flow of applications to post-register births in the New Territories. To deal with these, three mobile teams have been operating throughout the year, visiting outlying villages according to a regular programme.
157. In addition to the post-registration fee, stamp duty of $3 is payable on each supporting statutory declaration. In the course of the year the three teams collected a total of $11,118 in respect of stamp duty on such declarations.
158. During 1965-66 3,623 births were post-registered more than one year after the date of birth, as follows:
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