ENG-1957 — Page 284

242

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

of intended marriage to be exhibited at the Registry for 15 clear days, after which the Registrar issues a certificate which enables the marriage to be solemnized at a licensed place of worship, or to take place as a civil marriage before the Registrar. The Governor has the power in special cir- cumstances to grant a licence authorizing a marriage to take place before the expiry of the 15-day period, or dispensing with notice altogether.

Notices of intended marriage are accepted, and civil marriages are performed, both at the main Marriage Regis- try in the Supreme Court Building in Hong Kong and at the Kowloon Sub-Registry situated on the third floor of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Building, Mong Kok.

The validity of Chinese customary marriages is not affected by the Marriage Ordinance, and such marriages do not require to be registered. Marriages under the Ordinance are, however, becoming more and more popular with all classes of the Chinese population as the advantages of having an official certificate of marriage are now more widely appreciated. For many years there has been a steady increase in the yearly total of registered marriages, and in continuance of this trend 1957 saw the number jump to 7,062, 1,455 more than in 1956. The increase can be attributed mainly to arrangements made in March 1957 whereby for the first time civil marriages could be performed at the Kowloon Sub-Registry. In all, 1,426 such marriages were performed there, and 4,794 at the main Registry.

Births and Deaths. This Registry was transferred from the Medical Department to the Registrar General's Depart- ment on 1st April, 1957.

The registration of births and deaths is compulsory under the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance (Cap. 174). The General Register Office is situated in the centre of Victoria, and a number of district registries are dispersed throughout the Colony for the convenience of the public. In the outlying rural and island areas, births are registered