XN000022-1980-11-15 — Page 6

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1980

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THERE WAS AN ALLOCATION OF $120 000 TO PROVIDE FREE PLACES FOR UNDER-PRIVILEGED SCHOOL CHILDREN ATTENDING PRIMARY/SECONDARY SCHOOL OUTDOOR CAMPS. IN ADDITION,

A SUM OF $113 600 WAS GRANTED TO THE PINEHILL VILLAGE SEVERE GRADE UNIT OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS LTD.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE RELIEF OF DISABLED CHILDREN RECEIVED A GRANT OF $111 600 FOR SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, AND $101 000 WAS ALLOCATED TO PO LEUNG KUK TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN ITS MAIN BUILDING.

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WAITING TIME AT CITY HALL MARRIAGE REGISTRY SHORTENED

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THE CITY HALL MARRIAGE REGISTRY HAS SET UP ANOTHER CHAMBER FOR CONDUCTING CEREMONIES TO REDUCE THE WAITING TIME OF WEDDING COUPLES.

THE CHAMBER IS DECORATED IN CHINESE TRADITIONAL RED AND IS

IDEAL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT INVITED TOO MANY GUESTS.

THE NEW FACILITY AT THIS MOST POPULAR MARRIAGE REGISTRY WILL BE USED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON MONDAY (NOVEMBER 17) BY A COUPLE WHO FILED THE IR REGISTRATION ON OCTOBER 31.

THIS IS THE SHORTEST TIME LAPSE THAT CAN BE MANAGED UNDER THE REGULATIONS WHICH STIPULATE 15 CLEAR DAYS AFTER THE POSTING OF A MARRIAGE NOTICE.

PREVIOUSLY, COUPLES WHO PUT DOWN THE IR NAMES FOR MARRIAGE AT THE REGISTRY WERE TOLD TO RETURN AT LEAST SOME TWO AND A HALF MONTHS LATER TO HAVE THE OFFICIAL CEREMONY PERFORMED.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE REGISTRY HOWEVER DID NOT EXPECT A SLACKENING IN THE SCHEDULE OF MARRIAGES TO BE PERFORMED AT THE REGISTRY IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

MANY MORE CHINESE PEOPLE GET MARRIED AT AROUND THIS TIME TO BEAT THE START OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR, HE EXPLAINED.

WITH THE OPENING OF THE ADDITIONAL MARRIAGE CHAMBER, THE CITY HALL REGISTRY WILL NOW BE ABLE TO PERFORM ABOUT 45 MARRIAGES EACH WEEKDAY.

THERE ARE FURTHER PLANS TO EXTEND THE WEEKEND OPENING HOURS TO SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AFTERNOONS AND TO HOLD SUNDAY MORNING MARRIAGES AT THE YAU MA TEI AND TAI PO REGISTRIES LATER THIS YEAR.

IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, A TOTAL OF 36 722 MARRIAGES WERE REGISTERED THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, COMPARED WITH 32 271 IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. THIS WAS ́ AN INCREASE OF 14 PER CENT.