ENG-1972 — Page 259

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POPULATION

The Marriage Reform Ordinance provides that all marriages entered into in Hong Kong on and after October 7, 1971, shall imply the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others and may be contracted only in accordance with the Marriage Ordinance. It declares valid certain customary mar- riages and validates certain other customary marriages known as modern marriages, provided in each case they have been entered into before October 7, 1971. The or- dinance also makes provision for post-registration of these customary and modern marriages and for dissolution of such marriages by mutual consent. During 1972, 181 customary and 21 modern marriages were post-registered, including 11 in the New Territories.

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