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8. The following are the main alterations in procedure, etc., under the new ordinance :-
(a) Information as to births must be given within 14 days instead of within 7 days as under the old ordinance, and post registers have been instituted for the registration of births after 14 days.
(b) There is now no fee for late registration of births.
Under the old ordinance the fee was $5.00.
(c) Any person obtaining registration of the birth of a child is now entitled to receive a free certificate that the birth has been registered. It is hoped that this provision, as well as many others in the ordinance will encourage the registration of births, especially in the New Territories.
(d) A certified copy of the entry in the register now costs $1.00, as compared with $2.50 under the old ordinance.
9. Under the new ordinance there still remains the old system of registry offices, i.e., a General Registry Office at the Registrar General's Office in Victoria, and District Registry Offices for Deaths and a separate set of District Registries for Births. In the New Territories there are District Registry Offices for Births and Deaths.
10. Before registering the Registrar or Assistant Registrar must be satisfied that the cause of death given is the true cause and in case of doubt it is his duty to institute or cause to be instituted immediate enquiries with a view to ascertaining the true cause of death.
11. The authorities certifying the cause of death are:-
(a) the medical practitioners in attendance during the last illness whether in hospital practice, dispensary practice, or private practice.
(b) the Tung Wah, Tung Wah Eastern and Kwong Wah Hospitals for bodies where there has been no registered medical practitioner attending.
(c) the Medical Officer of Health for bodies found in houses and for which he is called for diagnosis.
(d) the Coroner for all bodies examined at the Public Mortuaries including medico-legal cases and bodies dumped in the street or left at convents for disposal.
(e) the friends and relatives or the police in certain cases.