XN000022-1973-01-15 — Page 4

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Monday, January 15, 1973

RECORD NUMBER OF REGISTERED MARRIAGES IN 1972

City Hall Registry Remains Most Popular

The number of marriages registered in 1972 reached a new record

total of 27,264, being 360 more than the previous record of 26,904 in 1971,

the Registrar General, Mr. W. Hume, announced today.

These figures apply to all marriages in 1972, which was the first

full year in which marriages might be contracted only in accordance with the

Marriage Ordinance.

While this no doubt influenced the figures for the year, another

influence was the fact that the early part of the year (up to February 14)

fell within the preceding lunar year, which was a particularly auspicious

year with two First Days of Spring (Lap Chun) according to the lunar calendar.

The current lunar year is a blind year, that is to say, a year in

which there is no First Day of Spring.

"The record total of registered marriages included 2,795 marriages

between parties already previously married in other ways as compared with

4,076 marriages of this category in 1971.

"The marked decrease in the number of these remarriage' cases is

due to the impact of the post-registration provisions of the Marriage Reform

Ordinance gradually tapering off.

"Excluding these 'remarriages', the total number of registered

marriages actually increased by 2,641 from 22,828 in 1971 to 24,469 in 1972,"

Mr. Hume added.

There was