Since Marriage Registries were opened in the New Territories in 1960 the numbers of marriages performed there have increased as follows:
1960-61
1961-62
1962-63
1963-64 ...
217
1964-65
350
1965-66
402
1966-67
503
724
981
1,180
144. The remaining 1,866 marriages were celebrated in licensed places of worship of various denominations as follows:
Roman Catholic...
Church of England
Interdenominational
Church of Christ in China
Lutheran
Methodist
T
Independent Baptist
Independent Chinese Baptist
Other Protestant ...
Total
1,476
109
85
47
44
26
22
16
41
1,866
The total of 1,866 is 244 more than the previous year's total of 1,622.
145. Table XXVII gives statistics for the past ten years of the numbers of marriages registered, civil and religious ceremonies (with percentages of each), marriages between parties of Chinese race, marriages between persons already married (see paragraph 148), and 'new' marriages, and of the amounts of fees collected. The number of marriages registered annually has risen every year since 1950-51 except in 1962-63 and 1964-65, each of which was a 'blind year' with no first day of Spring in it, and therefore unpopular for marriages between Chinese. While the total number of marriages registered has risen from 7,466 to 17,846 over the decade, the percentages of civil and of religious ceremonies to the total number of marriages registered have remained remarkably steady, beginning at 89.31% and 10.69% respectively in 1957-58, and ending in 1966-67 at 89.54% and 10.46%.
146. Table XXVIII shows the ages or age groups of the husbands and wives married during the year as stated in the marriage certificates. This shows that 292 of the husbands and 4,562 of the wives were under 21 at the time of their marriage, and therefore required the consent of their parents or guardian or (in 91 cases) of the Registrar as laid
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