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Friday, March 1, 1974
WEDDINGS AT MARRIAGE REGISTRIES TO COST MORE
:
The cost of a wedding at the Marriage Registry will be raised
from June 1 this year for the first time in nearly 100 years.
—
A revised scale of fees charged under the Marriage Ordinance
is published in a notice in today's gazette.
Commenting on these increases, the Registrar General, Mr. Walter
Hume, said they wore needed because the Marriage Registry was running at
a considerable loss under the existing scale of charges.
"On the basis of the prescat fees, a loss of approximately
$2.3 million would be incurred by the Registry for the current financial
year," he said.
"This is perhaps hardly surprising when you consider that the
marriage fee of $10 now being charged was set in 1876.
"Obviously it would become increasingly uneconomic to continue
operating the Registry for an income so out of keeping with the costs.
"There are now 13 full-time Registrios and a number of part-time
Registries in operation," Mr. Hume pointed out. "The cost of running
the Registries has increased considerably in recent years."
The main increases in the revised scale relate to the giving
of notice and the actual marriage ceremony in the Office of the Registrar.
Those foes will be raised from $2 and $10 respectively to $10 and $50.
Accordingly the total fees payable in respect of a Registry marriage wil
incroase from $12 to $60.
"The new costs represent only a small proportion of the total cost
of most weddings when you take into account the expenses for hospitality
and entertainment that invariably follow," said Mr. Hume.
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