Registrar-Generals-Department-Annual-report-1960-1961 — Page 22

priced $1.50. Under the Ordinance as so amended, after a notice of intended marriage has been exhibited at the Registry for fifteen clear days, a certificate is issued which enables the marriage to be celebrated at a licensed place of worship, or contracted as a civil marriage before a Deputy Registrar. Where he is satisfied that there are special circum- stances justifying his doing so, the Registrar may issue the certificate at any time within the fifteen days. Under Section 12 the Governor may, when he sees fit, grant a special licence dispensing with notice altogether or with the certificate of the Registrar or with both. Such licences are given only in very special circumstances.

58. The Marriage Ordinance does not apply to non-Christian cus- tomary marriages duly celebrated according to the personal law and religion of the parties, and in spite of the rapid increase that has taken place in recent years in the number of marriages under the Ordinance, the number of marriages under the Ordinance is probably still less than that of other marriages. The position with respect to these other marriages is far from satisfactory, the great majority being of doubtful validity since they are contracted not in accordance with the full tradi- tional forms prescribed by Chinese custom, but in supposed conformity with Articles 980 to 988 of the Civil Code of the Nationalist Govern- ment of China. There are also large numbers of irregular unions in which the two parties live together, have children, and are regarded by themselves and others as to all intents and purposes married. This unsatisfactory position has long been a matter of concern to Government, and on 14th March, 1961 there was published a Report by the Attorney General and the Secretary for Chinese Affairs stating the various problems and making provisional recommendations on how they should be dealt with. The Report and recommendations were published with the view of eliciting the comments and advice of asso- ciations interested in the subject and of the public in general, and do not represent fixed Government policy.

59. It is, however, Government policy to accelerate and assist the trend towards marriages under the Ordinance which has long been manifest, and with this object in view the facilities available for such marriages were greatly expanded during 1960-61, A new Marriage Registry intended to serve principally the Causeway Bay and North Point areas was opened on 1st November, 1960 on the fifth floor of the new Causeway Bay Magistracy Building, and the first marriage was performed there on the 18th of the same month. On 10th December, 1960 the Kowloon Marriage Registry on the third floor of the Hong-

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