The total of 2,662, amounting to 10.25% of the marriages between parties of Chinese race, was 1,534 less than that for 1971-72, a drop of 36.56%, which can possibly be related to the fact that customary marriages celebrated in Hong Kong on and after 7th October 1971 are no longer valid. The following is an analysis of the time lapse between the registered marriage and the previous customary marriage for these cases:
Within 1 year
Over 1 year but within 5 years
Over 5 years
Total
32
534
2,096
2,662
167. Of the 26,443 marriages registered, 25,983 were between parties of Chinese race; 129 marriages were between non-Chinese grooms and Chinese brides, and 80 between Chinese grooms and non-Chinese brides; the remaining 251 were between parties both of whom were non-Chinese. 196 widowers and 120 widows remarried. 409 of the parties married were divorced persons, and in accordance with the normal practice of the Registry the divorced documents were carefully scrutinized before the marriage was permitted to take place.
168. The relative conjugal conditions of bridegrooms and brides (excluding the same parties previously customarily married, and re- married under section 38(2) of the Ordinance) were as follows, with figures for 1971-72 shown in brackets for comparison:
Divorced Women
Total
Bachelors
Widowers
Divorced Men
Total
•
Spinsters
Widows
23,157 (24,690) 61 (44)
98 (93) 23,316 (24,827)
135 (149)
47 (44)
14 (21)
196 (214)
229 ( 189)
12 (32)
28 (29)
269 ( 250)
23,521 (25,028) 120 (120) 140 (143)
•
23,781 (25,291)
169. One special licence dispensing with the giving of the notice of an intended marriage was granted by the Governor. In 23 cases the Registrar in exercise of the discretion conferred on him by the proviso to section 9 of the Ordinance issued his certificate allowing the marriage to proceed before the expiry of the prescribed 15 days' notice.
Prosecutions
170. Information given to the Police by the Registry resulted in 21 persons being charged during the year with perjury or bigamy or both. All were found guilty, and fines were imposed ranging up to $600. 14 further cases were under investigation at the end of the year.
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