Bay, Western District, Aberdeen, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon City and Kwun Tong, and a 'part-time' registry at Shau Kei Wan open two days a month. In the New Territories there are full-time registries at Tai Po, Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long, and 'part-time' registries at Cheung Chau and Sai Kung open two days a month, and at Sha Tau Kok open once a week. The City Hall Registry opens on Sunday mornings throughout the year for the performance of Registry marriages. The main reason for the Sunday opening, which was instituted in 1966, was that not infrequently the lucky day for the marriage of a particular couple under their horoscopes or a lucky day for marriages generally according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar happens to fall on a Sunday. Another reason was that some couples prefer a Sunday marriage because it means no interference with a normal working day for the parties and their guests. During the year 372 Sunday marriages were performed at the Registry.
153. Under section 21(4)(b) of the Marriage Ordinance, where the Deputy Registrar is satisfied that he and the parties and witnesses all understand the Chinese language or the same dialect thereof, the mar- riage may be celebrated wholly in that language or dialect, and the great 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 only in English, except for the characters of Chinese names.
154. During the year two additional places of public worship were licensed for the celebration of marriages under the Ordinance, bringing the total number of licensed places up to 126. All marriages performed in licensed places of public worship are registered at the principal Registry in the City Hall,
155. 19,953 marriages were registered, 373 less than the figure of 20,326 in 1969-70. A possible explanation for the decline may be that many couples have postponed their marriage to 1971-72, which according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar is a more auspicious year for marriages between Chinese, since it will contain two First Days of Spring (Lap Chun) and also an intercalary 5th moon. It is understood, however, that such considerations are tending to have less influence than in former years. 18,135 civil marriages-318 fewer than in 1969-70—were per- formed in the Registries as follows:
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