BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE

BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE

CHAPTER 174.

BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION.

To covsolldate and amend the law relating to the registra-
tion of births aibd deaths.

[10th August, 1934.]

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Births and
Deaths Registration Ordiriance.

2. In this Ordinance-
'house' includes any building, structure, or vessel;
'occupier' includes the warden, keeper, master, manager,
director, matron, superintendent, superior, or other
chief resident officer of every convent or public or
charitable or religious or educational institution, and,
where a house Is let or sub-let in separate floors or
rooms or compartments, includes any person residing
in such house who either receives or pays rent for such
separate floors or rooms or compartments. In cases
where a whole house is occupied by any person with-
out being let or sub-let as aforesaid, such person shall,
whether lie is the owner or not, be deemed to be the
occupier;
'public institution' includes a prison, lock-up, reformatory
school, certified industrial school, house of detention,
mental hospital and hospital;
'Registrar' means the Registrar of Births and Deaths,
and includes any deputy registrar of births and deaths
and, where the reference is to registration in a district,
includes also any assistant registrar of births or deaths,
as the case may be, for the district in question.

3. (1) The office of the Medical Department shall be
the general register office for keeping a register of all births
and deaths occurring in the Colony.

(2) The Director of Medical aiid Health Services shall.
be the Registrar of Births and Deaths.

(3) The Governor may appoint such deputy registrars,
assistant registrars, clerks and subordinate officers as may
be necessary for the purposes of this Ordiriance : Provided
that, unless otherwise directed by the Governor, the





officer in charge at eacli police station and disinfecting station
and the principal clerk at eacli public dispensary mentioned
in the First Schedule shall be assistant registrars of births or
deaths, as the case may be, for their respective districts.

4. (1) The Registrar shall cause to be printed and
supplied to all register offices set out in the First Schedule
register books of births and register books of deaths which
shall be respectively in the prescribed form.

(2) The particulars required to be registered concern-
ing any birth or death shall be the particulars specified in
the said forms.

(3) Four separate register books shall be kept at each
of the said registry offices-
(a)a birth register book for the nornial registration of
births ;
(b)a death register book for the normal registration of
deaths;
(c)a post register book of births for the late registra-
tion of births ;
(d)a post register book of deaths for the late registra-
tion of deaths.
Entries of births and deaths shall, in the case of non-
Chinese, be in the English language and, in the case of
Chinese shall be both in the English and the Chinese
languages.

5. (1) The registrar at every register office, other than
the general register office, shall cause to be sent to the
general register office, once in each month or as directed by
the Registrar, certified copies of all entries niade in hils
register book during the preceding month.

(2) The Registrar shall cause the said certified copies to
be bound, from time to time, and preserved for record at the
general register office together with the register books at that
office.

6. From time to time aiid as often as may be necessary
the Registrar or a deputy registrar shall visit cach district
registry office to inspect the registry books and confer with
the assistant registrar as to the facts regarding registration in
his district.





7. The father of every child born alive in the Colony,
or, in case of death, illness, absence, or inability of the father,
the mother of such child, or in case of the death, illness,
absence, or inability of the father and mother, the occupier
of the house in which such child has been born, or any person
present at the birth, shall, within fourteen days after the day
of such birth, give information to a registrar according to the
best of his or her knowledge and belief, of the several parti-
culars required to be registered, and shall, in the presence of
such registrar, sign the register.

8. (1) In case any child is born in, or any new-born
child is admitted to, any public institution, convent orother
charitable or religious institution, it shall be the duty of the
person having charge of such institution or convent to ascer-
tain from the mother of such child or person bringing such
child such information of the particulars required to be regis-
tered concerning the birth of such child as can be elicited and
to cause such information to be given to a registrar within
fourteen days.

(2) In case any living new-born child is found exposed,
it shall be the duty of any person finding such child, and of
any person in whose charge such child may be placed, to
report such finding to a registrar, and within fourteen days
to give, to the best of his knowledge and belief, such informa-
tion of the particulars required to be registered concerning
the birth of such child as the informant possesses, aiid, in the
presence of such registrar, to sign the register.

9. (1) In every case where the information required by
sections 7 and 8 is given within fourteen days of the birth of
any child, exclusive of the day of birth, such birth shall be
registered, without any fee, in the birth register book.

(2) When such information is given after the expiration
of the said fourteen days and within twelve months after the
said birth, exclusive of the day of birth, the birth shall be
registered, on payment by the informant of a fee of one
dollar, in the post register book of births.

(3) No birth shall be registered after the expiry of
twelve months froni the date thereof except with the consent
of the Registrar and then only on payment by the informant





of a fee of ten dollars, and the fact of such consent having
been given shall be entered in the post register book of birdis
in which such birth is registered.

(4) Any person obtaining registration of any birth
under any subsection of this section shall be entitled at the
time of registration to receive free a certificate of such regis-
tration in the prescribed form.

10. Notwithstanding the omission to report or furnish
information as to any birth within fourteen days it shall be
the duty of every registrar to procure by all means in his
power the best aiid most accurate information respecting any
birth which may have occurred within his district and to cause
the same to be registered as prescribed by section 9.

11. (1) Every registrar shall,- immediately after the
registration with him of the birth of any child, give a notice,
in the prescribed form, to the parent or person reporting the
birth, drawing attention to the requirements of any, enactment
relating to vaccination.

(2) Every registrar shall keep a book in which lie shaM
enter, in such form as the Registrar directs, minutes of the
notices of vaccination given by him.

12. In the case of an illegitimate child, no person shall,
as father of such child, be required to give information con-
cerning the birth of such child, and there shall not be entered
in the register the name of any person as father of such child,
except at the joint request of the mother and of the person
acknowledging himself to be the father, and such person shall
in such case sign the register together with the mother. For
the purposes of this Ordinance every child of every Chinese
male shall be deemed to be a legitimate child, and such
Chinese male shall be deemed to be the father of such child.

13. (1) In every case where it is desired after registra-
tion to alter or add to the name of any child whose birth has
been registered with a name, or to give a name or names to
any child whose birth has been registered without a nanie,
ihe parent or guardian of such child may make a declaration
in writing before a registrar in the prescribed form : Pro-
vided that whenever it is shown to the satisfaction of the





registrar that, owing to death or absence from the Colony or
ether reasonable cause, the parent or guardian is unable to
attend to rnake a declaration in writing in accordance with
this section, it shall be lawful for the registrar, in his discre-
tion, upon such evidence as he may in the circumstances
deern sufficient, to act in all respects as if a declaration in
writing had been made under this subsection before him
personally.

(2) The registrar shall thereupon, without erasure of the
previous entry, forthwith enter in the register the name or
nanies proposed to be substituted or added, and shall, if
required, on payment of a fee of one dollar issue a certificate
in the prescribed form.

(3) For every such entry made within a period of forty-
two days from the date of the birth no fee shall be paid. For
every such entry made after such forty-two days a fee of one
dollar shall be paid.

(4) In this section, 'name' shall not include 'sur-
name'.

(5) Where any entry under this section has been made
in any district register office the assistant registrar shall
forward forthwith to the Registrar particulars of the entry
made in order that the necessary alterations shall be made in
the register at the general register office.

14.. (1) When a person dies in a house it shall be the
duty of the nearest relatives of the deceased present at the
death or in attendance during his last illness, and, in default
of such relatives, of each person present at the death or in
attendance during the last illness, and of any occ pier of the
house in which, to his knowledge, the death took place, and,
in default of any such persons, of each inmate of such house,
and of the person causing the body of the deceased to be
buried, to give, to the best of his knowledge and belief, to a
registrar within twenty-four hours (exclusive of the time
necessary for the journey and of any intervening hours of
darkness and of general holidays as defined by the Holidays
Ordiriance) after such death, information of the particulars
required to be registered concerning such death, and in the
presence of the registrar to sign the register : Provided that
where no such informant as aforesaid is forthcoming, the





person finding the body shall within twenty-four hours after
such finding proceed as provided in subsection (2).

(2) When a person dies in a place which is not a house,
or a dead body is found elsewhere than in a house, it shall
be the duty of every relative of the deceased, having know-
ledge of any of the particulars required to be registered
concerning the death, and, in default of such relative, of every
person present at the death, and of any person finding and of
any person taking charge of the body, and of the person
causing the body to be buried, to give to the officer in charge
of the nearest police station, within twenty-four hours after
the death or the finding, such information of the particulars
required to be registered concerning the death as the
informant possesses, aiid such particulars shall be forthwith
forwarded by the said officer to a registrar.

(3) When an inquiry is held by a magistrate into the
death of any person the magistrate holding the inquiry shall
inquire of the particulars required to be registered concerning
the death and shall send to the Registrar within twenty-four
hours after the termination of the inquiry, a certificate under
his hand giving information concerning the death and
specifying the said particulars and the time and place at which
the inquiry was held and the Registrar shall cause the deaths
and particulars to be duly registered. When an inquiry is
held by a magistrate on an), dead body no person shall with
respect to such dead body or death be subject to any penalty
for failing to give information in pursuance of any other
provision of this Ordinance.

(4) After the expiration of forty-eight hours from any
death or the finding of any dead body or the completion of
an inquiry by a magistrate whichever is latest (exclusive of
the time necessary for the journey and of any general holi-
days as defined by the Holidays Ordinance) the death shall
be registered in the post register book of deaths.

15. (1) Notwithstanding any omission to report, or
furnish information as to any death within the time laid down
in section 14, it shall be the duty of every registrar to procure
by all means in his power the best and most accurate informa-
tion respecting any death which may have occurred within
his district and cause the same to be registered.





(2) In every case in which a registrar receives informa-
tion of the death in the Colony of any citizen of the United
States of America, he shall at once inform the Official
Administrator of the fact, through the Registrar, in order
that the necessary information may be forwarded to the
nearest consular officer of the United States.

16. (1) No person, unless acting under the written
sanction or direction of a registrar, shall remove, or assist or
attempt to remove, or procure the removal of, or bury any
dead body until a certificate of registration of death under
scctiOn 17 has been issued, or an order to bury or cremate has
been obtained from a magistrate : Provided always that
where interment is urgent aiid it is not possible promptly to
procure such certificate or order, it shall be the duty of any
person who may desire to remove or bury a dead body to
report the same at the nearest police station, when the
inspector or other officer in charge may issue forthwith a
permit in the prescribed form. The issue of such permit
shall be forthwith reported to a registrar by the issuing
officer, and shall not exonerate the persons required by this
Ordinance to give information respecting the death of aily
person from giving the information required.

(2) No person shall remove, or assist or attempt to
remove, or procure the removal of a dead body from the
Colony until lie lias obtained frorn a registrar a certificate in
the prescribed form.

17. (1) A. registrar, immediately on registering any
death or as soon thereafter as lie may be required to do so,
shall, without any fee, deliver, either to the person giving
information concerning the death or to the undertaker or other
person having charge of the funeral, a certificate under his
hand in the prescribed form, that such death has been duly
registered, and such certificate shall be delivered by such
undertaker or other person to the officer in charge of the
police station for the district where the death was registered :
Provided always that any magistrate may order any body
to be buried or cremated, if he thinks fit, before registration
of the death, and shall in such case. give a certificate of his
order in writing under his hand in the prescribed form to
the relative of the deceased or other person who causes the





body to be buried or cremated or to such undertaker or other
person having charge of the funeral, and such certificate shall
be delivered by the recipient to such police officer, as afore-
said.

(2) In addition to the certificates mentioned above, any
person obtaining registration under section 14 shall be
entitled at the time of registration to receive a free certificate
in the prescribed form.

18. No person shall wilfully bury or procti re to be buried
the body of any deceased chil d as if it were still-born. No
person shall bury or procure to be buried any still-born child,
unless there is delivered to him either-
(a)a written certificate in the prescribed form that such
child was not born alive, signed by a registered
medical practitioner who was in attendance at the
birth or has examined the body of such child; or
(b)a declaration in the prescribed form signed by some
person who would, if the child had been born alive,
have been required by this Ordinance to give in-
formation concerning the birth, to the effect that no
medical practitioner was present at the birth, or that
his certificate cannot be obtained, or that the child
was not born alive; or
(c) an order of a magistrate.

19. When there is in the coffin in 'which any deceased
person is brought for burial the body of any other deceased
person or the body of a still-born child, the undertaker or
other person who has charge of the funeral shall deliver to
the officer in charge of the,police station for the district where
the death occurred or where such body was found a.notice in
writing, signed by such undertaker or other person, stating
to the best of his knowledge aiid belief, with respect to eacli
body, particulars in the prescribed form.

20. With respect to certificates of the cause of death,
the following provisions shall have effect-
(a)the Registrar shall, on the application in writing
of a registered medical practitioner, furnish him with
a book of printed forms of certificates of death in the
prescribed form;





(b) in case of the death of any person who has been
attended during his last illness by a registered
medical practitioner, that practitioner shall forthwith
sign and give to some person required by this
Ordinance to give information concerning the death
a certificate, in the form prescribed by this section,
stating to the best of his knowledge and belief -the
cause of death, and including a statement as to
whether any, and if so what, anaesthetic was
administered during the said illness and, if so, how
long before death it was administered, and such
person shall, on giving information concerning the
death, deliver that certificate to a registrar; and the
cause of death as stated in that certificate shall be
entered in the register;
(c) where an inquiry is held on the body of any deceased
person, or where a magistrate has issued a burial
order, a medical certificate of the cause of death
need not be given;
(d) for the purpose of securing uniformity in the death
returns, the* cause of death certified by a registered
medical practitioner, or by any medical officer in
any branch of His Majesty's service, or by any
magistrate shall, so far as possible, be described in
strict accordance with the nomenclature d diseases
of the Royal College of Physicians of London. If
in any certificate the cause of death is not so
described, it shall be lawful for a registrar to refuse
to register the cause of death as thus certified, and to
proceed in the manner provided by section 21 for
cases in which that officer suspects that the reported
cause of death is not the true cause.

21. In case of the death of any person who has not been
attended during his last illness by any registered medical
practitioner, or in any case in which a registrar suspects that
the reported cause of death is not the true cause, it shall be
the duty of the Registrar to institute or cause to be instituted
immediate inquiries with a view to ascertaining the true cause
of death.





22. (1) The Registrar shall cause indexes of the register
books in the general register office and in district offices to be
made, and any person shall be entitled on payment of the fee
prescribed by subsection (2) or (3), as the case may be, to
require a registrar to cause a search to be made of such
indexes and register books, and any such person shall be
entitled to receive a copy of any entry in the said register
books, certified under the hand of a registrar and sealed or
stamped with the seal or stamp of the general register office,
for which a fee of one dollar shall be paid : Provided that a
fee of two dollars shall be paid in respect of any such copy
required to be posted by a registrar to an addressee outside
the Colony.

(2) A search, either in indexes or in district registers
or in the register books of the general register office, for any
given entry over any period not exceeding five years shall be
deemed a particular search, and a fee of one dollar shall be
paid. in respect of every such particular search.

(3) A search either in indexes or in district registers or
in the register books of the general register office for informa-
tion other than that concerning any given entry shall be
deemed a general search the fee for which shall be five
dollars.

(4) No person except a registrar and officers specially
authorized by the Registrar shall search in indexes or in
district registers or in the register books of the general
register office.

23. (1) Any pet-son shall, on payment of a fee of fifty
cents and on furnishing the prescribed particulars, be entitled
to obtain from a registrar in the general register office, a
shortened form of certificate in the prescribed form of the
birth of any person compiled from the records and registers
in the custody of the Registrar.

(2) The power conferred by section 29 of this Ordiriance
and by section 13 of the Births Registration (Special
Registers) Ordinance, on the Governor in Council to make
regulations shall include power to make regulations prescrib-
ing the forms of certificate to be issued under this section,
the particulars to be furnished by applicants for certificates
thereunder, the manner in which those certificates are to be





compiled, and the particulars which are to be'con'tained
therein, so, however, that no certificate issued under this
section shall include any particulars except the name, sur-
name, sex and date of birth and such other particulars, if any,
as may be prescribed, not being particulars relating to
parentage or adoption.

24. (1) The Registrar shall cause to be made a seal of
the general register office and shall cause to be sealed or
stamped therewith all certified copies of entries, given in the
said office.

(2) Every entry and every certified copy of an entry in
a registry book for the registration of births or of deaths shall
be received as evidence of the birth or death to which the
same relates without other or further proof of such entry:
Provided that no such entry in a post register book shall be
deemed proof of the birth or death to which it relates without
other or further evidence thereof :Provided, also, that no
certified copy purporting to be given in the said office shall
be of any force or effect unless it is sealed or stamped as
aforesaid, and unless the entry to which it relates either
purports to have been signed by some person professing to
be the informant aiid to be such person as required by this
Ordinance to give information to a registrar concerning such
birth or death, or purports to have been made upon a certi
ficate from a magistrate or otherwise in pursuance of the
provisions of this Ordiriance, or, where more than twelve
months have intervened between the day of a birth or death
and the day of the registration of such birth or death, unless
it purports to have been made with the consent and authority
of the Registrar. [23]

25. Any person who-
(a)being charged with the duty of registering births or
deaths, refuses or, without reasonable excuse, omits
to register any birth or death of which he has had
due notice as aforesaid; or,
(b)having the custody of any register book or certified
copies thereof, or of any part thereof, carelessly loses
or injures the same, or carelessly allows the same to
be injured wbilst in his keeping,





shall be deemed to have committed a breach of the provi-
sions of this Ordinance. [24]

26. Any person who wilfully destroys or injures, or
causes to be destroyed or injured, any such register book
or any part or certified copy of any part thereof, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor triable summarily aiid liable to
imprisonment for two years. [25]

27. With regard to the correction of errors in registers
of births or deaths, the following provisions shall have
effect-
(a) no alteration in any such register shall be made
except as authorized by this Ordiiiance;
(b) any clerical error which may be discovered in any
such register shall, as soon as possible, be corrected
by a registrar, who shall place his initials in the
margin opposite the entry in which such error has
been discovered;
(c) an error of fact or substance in any such register
may be corrected by entry in the margin (without
any alteration of the original entry) by a registrar
on payment of the fee of one dollar and on produc-
tion to him by the person requiring such error to be
corrected of a declaration in the prescribed form
setting forth the nature of the error and the true
facts of the case, and inade by two persons required
by this Ordiriance to give information concerning
the birth or death with reference to which the error
has been made, or, in default of such persons, then
by two credible persons to the satisfaction of the
registrar having knowledge of the truth of the case,
and the registrar shall initial such marginal entry
and shall add thereto the day and month and year
when such correction is made; and
(d) where an error of fact or substance (other than an
error relating to the cause of death) occurs in the
information given to the Registrar by a magistrate
concerning a dead body upon which he has held an
inquiry, or in respect of which he has issued a burial
order, he may, if satisfied by evidence upon oath or





statutory declaration that such error exists, certify
under his hand to the Registrar the nature of the
error and the true facts of the case as ascertained by
him on such evidence, aiid the error may thereupon
be corrected by that officer in the register by entering
in the margin (without any alteration of the original
entry) the facts as so certified by such magistrate,
and he shall initial such marginal entry and shall
add thereto the day and month and year when such
correction is made. [26]

28. Except where otherwise specially provided by this
Ordinance, any person who commits any breach or infringe
ment of any of the provisions of this Ordinance or fails to
perform any duty imposed upon him by this Ordinance shall
upon summary conviction be liable to a fine of one thousand
dollars or six months' imprisonment. [27]

29. (1) The forms prescribed in the Schedule shall be
used in the cases to which they refer.

(2) The Governor in Council may by regulations
provide for the due carrying out of this Ordinance, and
may by such regulations amend the First and Second
Schedules. [28]

30. The registers of births and deaths kept under
former Ordinances shall, as hitherto, be preserved by the
Registrar, and all the provisions of this ' Ordinance relating
to entries in registers, alterations of or additions to registers,
searches of registers, copies of entries in registers, custody
of registers, or destruction of or injury to registers, and the
provisions of any Ordinance relating to any offences in
respect of registers of births or deaths authorized or required
to be kept under this Ordinance, shall mutatis mutandis
apply to the said registers kept under former Ordinances :
Provided that it shall be lawful for the Registrar to keep
separat . e supplementary register books for the purpose of
registering the births of any persons who were born before
the commencement of this Ordinance and whose births were
not registered in the registers formerly kept under former
Ordinances. [29]





FIRST SCHEDULE [ss. 3, 4 and 29.]

BIRTH REGISTER OFFICES.





DEATH REGISTER OFFICES.






SECOND SCHEDULE. [s. 29.]

FORM 1. [s. 4 (1) (2).]

Register book of births.
19 Births in the district of Hong Kong.




FORm 2.[s. 4 (1) (2).]
Register book of deaths.
19 Deaths in the district ofHong Kong.






FORm 3. [s. 9 (4).]

Certificate of Registration of Birth.

Name of child ...........................................................................

Sex ..........................................................................................

Date of birth ...............................................

Date registered ..........................................................................

Name of mother ........................................................................

Address at birth ......

Signature of registrar ...............................................................

This certificate must be produced on demand by a police officer
to prove that the name of the person entered has beLn registered.


No fee is payable for this certificate.

FoRm 4. [s. 11 (1).]

To .........................................................

..............

Take notice that under the provisions of THE VACCINATION
ORDINANCE, 1923 all children born in the Colony must be vaccinated
within six weeks from the date of birth by a medical practitioner or
pubjic vaccinator, and the certificate of successful vaccination or of
unfitness for, or of insusceptibility to successful vaccination, which
will be furnished to you by the vaceinator, must be sent to this office
within seven days, from the date of the certificate.

...................
a Registrar of Births and Deaths.

Address .....................................

................. 195









FoRm 5. [s. 13(1).]

De claration for altering or adding to the name of a child.
I (Name) ..................................................................................
(Address) .................................................................................
(Description) ............................................................................
Parent [or guardian] of the child of ...........................................

and ......whose birth was registered on
the .........day of ........, under the
name (s) of .do solemnly, sincerely and
truly declare that I desire
Strike out (a) to add the name (s) of .......................................
either (a) to the above-mentioned
or (b) as
required. name (s).
(b) to alter the above-mentioned name(s) to ...............
Before me,

(Signed.) A.B.,
Parent [or Guardian].
(Signed.)
Registrar.





FORM 6.
Declaration of name of child.
I (Name) .................................................................................
(Address) .................................................................................
(Description) ............................................................................
Parent [or guardian] of the child of ..........................................
and ..................whose birth was registered
on the ...............day of
without a name, do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare that the
said child has received the name(s) of and that
I desire that the said name(s) shall be added to the register.

(Signed.) A.B.,
Parent [or Guardian.]

Before me.

(Signed.)
Registrar.

FoRm 7. [s. 13 (2).]
Certificate of registration of alteration of name of child.
I, A.B., Registrar [or Deputy or Assistant Registrar] of Births and
Deaths, do hereby certify that the name [or names] of
by which a child of one C.D. and E.F. was registered on the
day of ' 19, has [or have] been altered to
and that such alteration has been entered in the
register book.

Dated the day of 19
(Signed.) A.B., a Registrar of Births and Deaths.
Fee $1.

FoRm 8. [s. 13 (2).]
Certificate of registration of name of child.
I, A.B., Registrar [or Deputy or Assistant Registrar] of Births
and Deaths do hereby certify that the name [or names] of
has [or have] been given to the child of one C.D. and E.F. whose
birth was registered on the day of ' 19
and that such name or names has [or have] been entered in the
register book.
Dated the day of 19
(Signed.) A.B., a Registrar of Births and Deaths.
Fee $1.





FORM 9. [s. 16 (1).]
Permit for removal and burial of dead body.
Permission is hereby given of to remove
and bury the dead body of one called from the
floor of No. to
Dated the day of 19
(Signed.) Officer in charge.
No. Police station.

No fee is payable for this permit.

FoRm 10. [s. 16 (2).]
Permit for removal of dead body from the Colony.
Permission is hereby given to of to remove
from the Colony the dead body of one called

Dated the day of 19

(Signed.) A.B., a Registrar of Births and Deaths.

No fee is payable for this permit.

FoRm 11. [17 (1).]
Certificate of Registration of Death.
I, A.B., a registrar of deaths in the district of do
hereby certify that the death of lias been duly registered
by me on the day of 19

Dated the day of 19

(Signed.) A.B., a Registrar of Births and Deaths.

No fee is payable for this certificate.

FoRm 12. [s. 17 (1).]
Order for burial of body.
I, A.B., a magistrate of Hong Kong do hereby order the burial
[or cremation] of the body now shown [or repoited] to me as the
body of.

Dated the day of 19.

(Signed.) A.B., Magistrate.





FoRm 13. [s. 17 (2).]
Certificate of Registration of Death.
Name of deceased person ............................................................
Sex ..........................................................................................
Age .........................................................................................
Date of death ...........................................................................
Date registered .........................................................................
Address at death .....................................................................
Signature of registrar ...............................................................
This certificate must be produced on demand by a police officer
to prove that the name of the person entered has been registered.


No fee is payable for this certificate.


FORM 14. [s. 18 (a).]
Certificate of still-birth.

I, A.B., registered medical practitioner in the Colony of Hong
Kong, hereby certify that I was in attendance at the birth of the
child of Mrs. C.D. [or have examined the body of the child of Mrs.
C.D.] and that such child was not born alive.

Dated the day of ' 19

(Signed.) A.B., Registered medical practitioner.

FORM 15.

Declaration as to still-birth. [s. 18 (b).]
I, A.B., do solemnly and sincerely declare that no registered
medical practitioner was present at the birth of the child of Mrs.
C.D. which occurred on the day of ' 19 '
[or that Mr. E.F., registered medical practitioner, was present at
the birth of the child of Mrs. C.D. which occurred on the
day of ' 19 , but that his certificate
according to Form 14 in the Second Schedule to the Births
and Deaths Registration Ordinance, (Chapter 174 of the Revised
Edition) cannot be obtained, or that the child of Mrs. C.D. which
was born on the day of 19 was
not born alive].
Dated the day of 19

(Signed.) A.B., Legal informant.

Before me,

(Signed.) Justice of the peace.





FORM 16. [s. 19.]

Notice where coffin contains more than one body.

1, A.B., hereby give you notice that in the coffin in which C.D.
is brought for burial there is the body of E.F., a male [or female]
lately residing at No.

Dated the day of 19

(Signed.) A.B., Undertaker for person in charge of funeral].

FORM 17. [s. 19.]
Notice where coffin contains more than one body.

I, A.B., hereby give you notice that in the coffin in which C.D.
is brought for burial there is a body which has been found exposed
and that the name and place of abode of the person whose body has
been found are unknown.

Dated the day of ' 19

(Signed.) A.B., Undertaker [or person in charge of funeral].

FORM 18.

Notice where coffin also contains the body of a child.

I, A.B., hereby give you notice that in the coffin in which C.D.
is brought for burial there is the body of a deceased child, name
unknown for of a still-born child] and the name and place of abode
of the father [or mother] of such child are and No.

Dated the day of ' 19

(Signed.) A.B., Undertaker [or person in charge of funeral].





(M.D. 854) FoRm 19. [s. 20(a).]
No. of corres
Counterfoil for the nding entry
use of the Medical: BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE. PO
At in register book
tendant, who should (Chapter 174 of the Revised Edition). of deaths to be
in all cases fill it up. inserted her
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF by the regis-
THE CAUSE OF DEATH trar.
To be given by the medical attendant to the person whose dut
it is to give it, with information of the death,
to a registrar and to no other person.

Name
of
Deceased .................
I HEREBY CERTIFY that I attended ...................................................
during the last illness; that such person's age was stated to be .....................
Age......................................that I last saw h on the day of 19 ;
that ...died* ..........on the ...day
of .....19 .............; at .....and that, to the best of
Last seen ........................my knowledge and belief the cause of death was as hereunder
written. An anaesthetic, namely was administeredt
---------*.before the death of (or, if such was the
administered before the death of ........................
Died on case anaesthetic,
............ ....................... )
...........Should the medical attendant not feel justified in taking upon himself
At ........the responsibility of certifying the fact of death, he may here insert
...........the words 'as I am informed.'
...........t Insert here how long before death the anaesthetic was administered.
...........Approximate
Deceased's interval
nationality CAUSE OF DEATH between onset
and death.
Deceased's
profession ...............
I. Disease or condition (a) ....................
d rectly leading to due to (or as a
Deceased's death.t consequence of)
address ...............
Antecedent causes (The Inform.
Morbid conditions, if (b) ..................... ant should read
CAUSE OF DEATH anygiving rise to due to (or as a
the notice on
theabovecause, consequence of) the back of
stating the under- this form.)
lying condition last. (e) ....................
(a) ............
due to (or as a 11. Other significant con
consequence of) ditions contributing
to the death, but not .........
related to the disease
(b) or condition causing ...........................
due to (or as a
consequence of) This does not mean the mode of dying e.g., heart failure,
asthenia, etc. It means the disease, injury, or complies-
........tion which caused death.
........A
(c)
Other significant ......Deceased's nationality Dated, the day of 19
conditions
Profession Signature
address ...Registered qualification
Signed

Date






place of death Residence
...............................
.........N.B-THIS CERTIFICATE IS INTENDED SOLELY FOR THE USE
.........i OF THE REGISTRAR to whom it should be delivered by the person giving
.........information to him of the particulars required by law to be registered
.........concerning the death. Penalty of $1000 or 6 months imprisonment for
.........neglect of informant to deliver this certificate to the registrar or an assistant
.........reotrar.
Signed
.........The Registrar of Births and Deaths cautions all persons against accepting
.........or using this certificate for any purpose whatever except that of delivering
Date ....it to himself or an assistant registrar.
[OVER]





(BACK OF FORM 19)

N O T I C E

By section 20 of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, (Chapter
174 of the Revised Edition) it is enacted that whenever a registered medical
practitioner has been in attendance during.the last illness of a deceased person
such practitioner shall sign and give to a qualified informant of the death a
certificate of the cause of death, and including a statement as to whether any,
and if so what, anaesthetic was administered during the said illness. The
informant is bound to deliver the certificate to a registr.
Persons qualified to be informants for the registration of the death, and to
whom only this certificate should be given-
1. A RELATIVE of the deceased present at the death.
2. A RELATIVE Of the deceased in attendance during the last illness.
3. A person present at the death.
4. A person in attendance during the last illness.
5. The occupier of the house in which the death occurred.
6. An inmate of the house in which the death occurred.
7. The person who caused the body to be buried.

Penalty for failing to give information within the 24 hours (in which travelling
time and general holidays as defined by the Holidays Ordinance (Chapter 149
of the Revised Edition) shall not be included) next following death is $1,000
or 6 months imprisonment.
Informants must be prepared to state accurately to the regist-ar or an
assistant registrar the following particulars-
(1). The date and place of death;
(2). The full names and surname of deceased.
(3). The correct age of deceased; and
(4). The rank, profession, or occupation of deceased and nationality so
far as is known. [If deceased is a child or an unmarried person
without occupation or property the full names and rank or profession
of the father will be required (except in the case of illegitimate
children); if a wife or widow those of the husband or deceased
husband.]

FORm 20. [s. 27 (c).]
Declaration for correction of error in register.

We, A.B., and C.D., hereby solemnly and sincerely declare that
when the birth [or death] of E.F. was registered on the
day of 19 , the following errors of fact or
substance occurred in the register, viz., [here set forth the error
or errors].
And we further solemnly and sincerely declare that the true facts
of the case are as follows:-[here set forth the true facts].
Dated the day of ' 19
(Signed.) A.B.
C.D.
Before me,
(Signed.) Justice of the peace.
21 of 1934. 18 of 1948. 34 of 1939. 10 of 1948. 26 of 1949. 22 of 1950. Short title. Interpretation. General register office and staff thereof. [s. 3 cont.] First Schedule. Register books. First Schedule. Second Schedule. Forms 1 and 2. Certified copies of entries in district registers to be sent to general register office for record. Inspection. Duty of parent or occupier to register birth. [cf. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 1.] Information respecting living new-born child to be given to a registrar. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 3. Registration of births, certificates of birth. 34 of 1939, s. 2. 34 of 1939, s. 2. [s. 9 cont.] Second Schedule. Form 3. Duty of registrar to procure registration of births. Notice as to necessity for vaccination. Second Schedule. Form 4. Saving for father of illegitimate child. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 7. Registration of name of child or of alteration of name. 37 & 38 Vict. c. 88, s. 8. Second Schedule. Forms 5 and 6. Second Schedule. Forms 7 and 8. Information of death to be given in various cases to registrar, etc. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 10. (Cap. 149). [s. 14 cont.] 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 11. (Cap. 149). Duty of registrars to procure registration of deaths. Deaths of U.S., citizens. Restriction on removal of dead body. Second Schedule. Form 9. Second Schedule. Form 10. Issue of certificate of registration of death or certificate of order for burial. Second Schedule. Form 11. Second Schedule. Form 12. [s. 17 cont.] Second Schedule. Form 13. Burial of deceased child as still-born, etc. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 18. Second Schedule. Forms 14 and 15. Notice where coffin contains more than one body. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 19. Second Schedule. Forms 16, 17 and 18. Provisions as to certificates of cause of death. 37 & 38 Vict. c. 88, s. 20. Second Schedule. Form 19. Duty of registrar when deceased not attended by medical practitioner, or where in doubt as to cause of death. Searches of books and indexes in general register office, certificates, fees, etc. 10 of 1948, s. 2. Particular search. General search. Who may search. Shortened form of birth certificate. (10 & 11 Geo. 6, c. 12.) 18 of 1948, s. 2. (Cap. 175.) Official seal. Evidential value of entry of certificate. Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths. [s. 25 cont.] Penalty for destroying register book. 22 of 1950, s. 3. Correction of errors in register. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 36. Second Schedule. Form 20. Penalty. 22 of 1950, Schedule. Forms and power to make regulations and amend the Schedules. Registers formerly kept under former Ordinances. G. N. A. 65/48. G. N. A. 186/49. G. N. A. 143/48. G. N. A. 65/48. G. N. A. 143/48.

21 of 1934. 18 of 1948. 34 of 1939. 10 of 1948. 26 of 1949. 22 of 1950. Short title. Interpretation. General register office and staff thereof. [s. 3 cont.] First Schedule. Register books. First Schedule. Second Schedule. Forms 1 and 2. Certified copies of entries in district registers to be sent to general register office for record. Inspection. Duty of parent or occupier to register birth. [cf. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 1.] Information respecting living new-born child to be given to a registrar. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 3. Registration of births, certificates of birth. 34 of 1939, s. 2. 34 of 1939, s. 2. [s. 9 cont.] Second Schedule. Form 3. Duty of registrar to procure registration of births. Notice as to necessity for vaccination. Second Schedule. Form 4. Saving for father of illegitimate child. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 7. Registration of name of child or of alteration of name. 37 & 38 Vict. c. 88, s. 8. Second Schedule. Forms 5 and 6. Second Schedule. Forms 7 and 8. Information of death to be given in various cases to registrar, etc. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 10. (Cap. 149). [s. 14 cont.] 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 11. (Cap. 149). Duty of registrars to procure registration of deaths. Deaths of U.S., citizens. Restriction on removal of dead body. Second Schedule. Form 9. Second Schedule. Form 10. Issue of certificate of registration of death or certificate of order for burial. Second Schedule. Form 11. Second Schedule. Form 12. [s. 17 cont.] Second Schedule. Form 13. Burial of deceased child as still-born, etc. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 18. Second Schedule. Forms 14 and 15. Notice where coffin contains more than one body. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 19. Second Schedule. Forms 16, 17 and 18. Provisions as to certificates of cause of death. 37 & 38 Vict. c. 88, s. 20. Second Schedule. Form 19. Duty of registrar when deceased not attended by medical practitioner, or where in doubt as to cause of death. Searches of books and indexes in general register office, certificates, fees, etc. 10 of 1948, s. 2. Particular search. General search. Who may search. Shortened form of birth certificate. (10 & 11 Geo. 6, c. 12.) 18 of 1948, s. 2. (Cap. 175.) Official seal. Evidential value of entry of certificate. Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths. [s. 25 cont.] Penalty for destroying register book. 22 of 1950, s. 3. Correction of errors in register. 37 & 38 Vict. C. 88, s. 36. Second Schedule. Form 20. Penalty. 22 of 1950, Schedule. Forms and power to make regulations and amend the Schedules. Registers formerly kept under former Ordinances. G. N. A. 65/48. G. N. A. 186/49. G. N. A. 143/48. G. N. A. 65/48. G. N. A. 143/48.

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