The experience of several years proves that there are plenty of disadvantages from the present Ordinance, while the few advantages could be obtained without it. The present Ordinance was quite unnecessary, and for thirty years we had all marriages performed in the Catholic Church valid before the Law, and not the least complaint has been made. The information desired for the Marriage registration could have been obtained from the Clergy, who never refused them.
With regard to ascertaining any impediment, there was a better means than the Registrar to discover them. It is a fact that these people of the East will go more easily to the Clergy to tell the impediment than to the Registrar. Moreover, while our banns in the Church are heard by the whole congregation, very few care to see the names of those who want to get married at the Court door.
So much for the advantages; there are many disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is that the Ordinance does not provide for cases in articulo mortis, a very important matter. Some have to get married or refuse to get married to avoid paying the obligatory fees being published at the Court door, the fees being enforced by the Roman Catholic Church in Hongkong.
3. A more severe disadvantage comes from the interfering of the Ordinance with the full exercise of the Sacrament by the Catholic Clergy.
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