ENG-1984 — Page 367

POPULATION

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The 1981 Census showed that 57.2 per cent of the population was born in Hong Kong. About 98 per cent of the population can be described as Chinese on the basis of place of origin. Most of these people originated from Guangdong Province. Those from Guang- zhou, Hong Kong, Macau and adjacent places form the largest community while the second largest group is Siyi, followed by the Chaozhou group. The remaining members of the Chinese population have their origins in other parts of Guangdong and other provinces of China.

The estimated number of non-Hong Kong Commonwealth citizens residing in Hong Kong at the end of 1984 was 65 600. These comprised: British 17 700 (excluding members of the Armed Forces); Indian 15 200; Malaysian 9 400; Australian 7800; Singaporean 4 700; Canadian 6 000; and other Commonwealth countries 4 800. The estimate for non- Commonwealth residents in Hong Kong was 90 000. Of these, the largest groups were: Filipino 27 300; American 14 000; Pakistani 7 100; Japanese 7 200; Thai 9 400; Portuguese 7 800; Indonesian 3 800; German 2 300; Korean 2 200; French 1 600 and Dutch 1 200.

Marriages

All marriages in Hong Kong are governed by the Marriage Ordinance and the Marriage Reform Ordinance. Under the Marriage Ordinance, at least 15 days' notice of an intended marriage must be given to the Registrar of Marriages. The Registrar has discretionary powers to reduce the period of notice in special circumstances or to grant a special licence dispensing with notice altogether. But this is done only in the most exceptional circumstances.

Marriages may take place either at any of the 193 places of public worship licensed for the celebration of marriages, or at any of the 12 full-time marriage registries and three part-time sub-registries located in the main urban districts and rural centres. During the year, 50 476 marriages were performed in the registries and 2 934 at licensed places of worship. All records are maintained at the principal marriage registry at the City Hall.

As 1984 was a particularly auspicious year for marriages in the Chinese calendar, there was a sharp increase in the number of ceremonies performed at certain times. To cope with this situation, arrangements for weekend marriages were extended, with Sunday ceremonies being introduced at the Cotton Tree Drive Registry in Central.

The Marriage Reform Ordinance provides that all marriages entered into in Hong Kong on or 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 marriages and other marriages known as modern marriages provided, in each case, they were entered into before October 7, 1971. The ordinance also makes provision for the post-registration of these marriages, and for their dissolution. During the year, 72 customary and 15 modern marriages were post-registered.

Births and Deaths

The registration of births and deaths is compulsory. The General Register Office keeps all records of births and deaths and there are 11 registries in the urban and rural districts. During the year, arrangements were made to centralise most Kowloon birth registrations at a new office in Tsim Sha Tsui East, and plans are being made to set up a central office on Hong Kong Island. A new registry was opened in Sha Tin where there has been an increase in birth registrations since the population of the area has increased and the Prince of Wales Hospital has become operational. In the outlying areas and islands, births are registered at various rural committee offices by visiting district registrars, and deaths are registered at local police stations.