Since Marriage Registries were opened in the New Territories in 1960 the numbers of marriages performed there have increased as follows:
1960-61 1961-62
217
1966-67
1,180
350
1967-68
·
•
...
+
1,064
1962-63
402
1968-69
1,376
1963-64
503
1969-70
...
1,659
1964-65
724
1970-71
1,741
...
1965-66
981
1971-72
---
2,912
160. The maining 2,488 marriages were celebrated in licensed places of worship of various denominations as follows:
Roman Catholic
Lutheran
Chinese Anglican
Interdenominational
Church of England
Baptist
Methodist
...
Church of Christ in China
Independent Chinese Baptist
Salvation Army
•
Other Protestant
Total
:
...
-
1,963
76
75
71
64
53
48
+
•
...
46
22
1
69
...
2,488
The total of 2,488 is 670 more than the previous year's total of 1,818.
161. Table XXX gives statistics for the past ten years of numbers of marriages registered, civil and religious ceremonies (with percentages of each), marriages between parties of Chinese race, marriages between persons already married (see paragraph 164), and 'new' marriages, and of the amounts of fees collected. The number of marriages registered annually has risen every year since 1950-51 except in 1962-63, 1964-65 and 1967-68, each of which was a 'blind year' and therefore unpopular for marriages between Chinese; and in 1969-70 and 1970-71, which respectively followed and preceded particularly auspicious years for marriages. While the total number of marriages registered annually has risen from 11,187 to 29,487 over the last decade, the percentages of civil and of religious ceremonies to the total number of marriages registered have remained remarkably steady, beginning at 88.84% and 11.16% respectively in 1962-63 and ending in 1971-72 at 91.56% and 8.44%.
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