CO129-540-5 Water supply- Shing Mun Valley Waterworks scheme 11-5-1932 - 7-12-1932 — Page 125

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

43

was

published in the Hong Kong Government Gazette of 12th May, 1916. Such Orders in Council are amended from time to time and occasionally replaced by a consolidation Order.

4. The slight amendment effected in section 6 of the principal Ordinance by this amending Ordinance will, by applying the principle of section 14 of the Interpretation Ordinance, save the necessity of re-amending the principal Ordinance every time the Order in Council is amended or consolidated.

BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1932.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend the law relating to the Registration of Births and Deaths." He said. This Bill will facilitate the making of proper corrections in the Register of Births. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a first time.

Objects and Reasons.

The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows:-

1. Under section 9 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Ordinance it is the duty of the father or mother or in the case of death, illness, absence, or inability to attend of the father or mother the occupier of the house in which the child has been born, or any one present at the birth to give the necessary information to the Registrar within 42 days of birth.

2. It has been the custom for midwives to give the necessary information to the Registrar with regard to births where they have been in attendance and this information has been forthwith entered in the register. Sometimes this information is incorrect as to the exact name of the father, the mother or the child. This is an error of fact or substance which can only be corrected at, the cost of $2.50.

3. It often happens that when the child is registered on the information of the midwife (generally one or two days after birth) no name has been given to the infant. The infant is thus registered un-named.

4. There are constantly arising cases where within the 42 days of grace allowed by the Ordinance the father attends in person and offers the requisite information only to be told that the child has already been registered on the information given by the midwife. If the midwife's information is incorrect he must produce $2.50 and two certificates to have it corrected and he must produce another $2.50 for inserting the name of the child in the register.

132