TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 1982
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THE MEDIAN AGE FOR MARRIAGES HAS REMAINED AT ABOUT 23 AND 27 FOR THE BRIDE AND GROOM RESPECTIVELY SINCE 1971, ACCORDING TO RECORDS.
MOST COUNSELLORS ALSO FEEL THAT ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL RECORDS ARE KEPT, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE INCIDENCE OF COHABITATION, SOME INVOLVING PARTNERS BELOW THE AGE OF 21 WHICH WOULD REQUIRE PARENTAL CONSENT FOR LEGAL MARRIAGE.
END.
THE DAYS OF MATCH-MAKING ARE ALSO APPARENTLY COMING TO AN
+PARENTS NOW HAVE TO FACE THE FACT THAT WITH OR WITHOUT THE IR CONSENT, THEIR CHILDREN WILL MARRY THE PARTNER OF THEIR CHOICE, MR CHAN SAID.
+HOWEVER, MR CHAN WENT ON, OTHER THAN REMEDIAL SERVICES BEING PROVIDED TO COUPLES IN TROUBLE, THE DEPARTMENT WAS ALL THE TIME TRYING TO PROMOTE HEALTHY AND HARMONIOUS FAMILY LIVING THROUGH ITS FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION PROGRAMMES.
+FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR LARGE SCALE ACTIVITIES FOR TERRITORIAL-WIDE PARTICIPATION, DISTRICT FUNCTIONS AND GAMES IN THE MASS MEDIA WERE ORGANISED TO GET ACROSS PROPER MESSAGES ON THE THEME OF 'ADOLESCENTS AND THE FAMILY'. THESE EFFORTS WOULD GO ON FOR OTHER ASPECTS OF GOOD FAMILY LIFE.+
WHILE ON THE ONE HAND THE NUMBER OF DIVORCES HAS BEEN INCREASING, THERE ARE INDICATIONS ON THE OTHER HAND, OF A POSSIBLE RÉCORD NUMBER OF MARRIAGES TAKING PLACE THIS LUNAR NEW YEAR (WHICH BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 1982 UNDER THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR).
BY TRADITION, +LAP CHUN+ OR BEGINNING-OF-SPRING+ PERIODS ARE POPULAR TIMES FOR MARRIAGE AND THIS LUNAR YEAR BEING A +LEAP YEAR+ WHEN THERE ARE 13 LUNAR MONTHS AND TWO +LAP CHUNS+ (LIKE IN 1974, 1976 AND 1979), A LARGER NUMBER OF MARRIAGES IS EXPECTED.
LAST YEAR THERE WERE 50 756 MARRIAGES, ONLY 89 LESS THAN THE RECORD HIGH YEAR FOR 1980.
AND, GROUP MARRIAGES ARE BECOMING EVER MORE POPULAR SINCE THE FIRST ONE HELD IN JULY 1980.
BUT, FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES, GROUP WEDDINGS ARE LIMITED TO FIVE COUPLES ONLY, SAID MR K.W. WONG, SENIOR IMMIGRATION OFFICER AT THE CITY HALL MARRIAGE RÉGISTRY OF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT.
THE PURPOSE OF GROUP WEDDINGS IS TO EASE CONGESTION AT SOME REGISTRIES AND TO SAVE COUPLES SOME WAITING TIME, HE SAID.
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