REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS ORDINANCE
Title
REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS ORDINANCE
Description
ORDINANCE No. 7 c>r 1872.
Registration of Births and Deaths.
No. 7 of 18'2.
An Ordinance for registering Births and Deaths in Hongkong.,
23rd July, 1872.
WIIEREA.S it is expedient to provide the means for a complete
register of the births and deaths of the inhabitants of the Colony:
of Hongkong: Be it enacted by the Governor of UoDykoDfr, with' the
advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:.
to be
chief Regis-
tear of births
and deaths.
registers to be
~stabli~liedE~a~
Cer tain:
13Iaaes. °..
1, the office of the Registrar General shall be 'The General (~egiste>
Office' for keeping a register of all births and deaths of the inhabitants
of the Colony of Hongkong, and the Rebistrar General shall be the Chief
Registrar of all such births and deaths.
2. District registers of births and deaths shall be kept at such Police
stations in the city of Victoria, and at such other stations in the
villages
which ixiay be hereafter declared by the Governor to be register offices,
and the inspector,' sergeant or other Police officer for the time being
;in
ciiarbe~ o£ sixth staiGion shall..be-a registrar of all births and deaths
occurring Wit `the dis~rct~ place or village..where such Police station
is situate.
Iiegisters.of ~ 3. All registers of the births and deaths o£ the Chinese
population
:
births, &o., bio., of the Colony shall be kept in both the English and
Chinese languages
,_.,to be kept in
kngliah and
chi
~eae.
y et~;- 4: The Registrar General shall cause to be printed on account of
books t5be',
prrwiaed.. ` the said register once a sufficiemt mui~aber of register
books for malzing
entries of all births arid deaths, of the inhabitant's of the Colony of
-long according to the foriri -of schedules =(:A.) and (B) to this
Ordinance'
is'gi4aa .
tt 'i
1 69
1r,2141
deaths. - -.
annexedas them shall be printed-,ixpon each side of every leaf the heads
of ipfor-
rriatoon herein required to be known anal registered of births and deaths
respectively ; and every laaae, of each such books .shall be numbered pro-
bressivel.y, from, the 'beginning -to th.e.end-, -beginni6g'lwiflu,
riuniber one',;..
and every place of entry shall be also .numbered progressively from the-
beginning to` the -end of the book,: beginning with :Dumber one ;-and`
every entry shall be ;divided. from the follo5viag entry by,a printed
li`r%e. ;
5. The Registrar General shall cause himself .to be provided with
and shall furnis-I to every registrar, a sufficient number, of register
books.
of kiirths and of register books of deaths ; and the Registrar General and
ORDINANCE No. 7-ok 1872:
egistration of Births and Deaths:
every registrar shall be authorised, and is hereby required, to inform
himself carefully of every birth and every death which shall happen
within his districts or district, place or village after this Ordinance
shall
leave cone into operation, and to learn and register as soon after the
event
as conveniently may be done, without fee or reward save as hereinafter
mentioned, in one of the said books, tile particulars required to be
registered according to the forms in the -said schedules (A) and (73)
repectively touching every such birth or every such death, His the case
may be, which shall not have been already registered, every such entry
being made in order from the beginning to the end of the book.
6. Tlle father or mother of any child- born, or the occupier of every
house, or tenement within the Colony of Hongkong in which any birth
or death shall happen after this Ordinance shall have come into operation,
may within seven days next after the day of such birth or within five
days after the clay of such death. respectively, give notice of such
birth or
death to the Registrar General or to the registrar of the district,
village
or place in which, such birth or death shall have occurred ; and in case
any new born child or any dead body shall be found exposed, any Police
constable who shall have found such child exposed, and the Coroner. In.
the case of the dead body, shall forthwith give notice andjpformatlon :;
thereof and of the place where such child or deed body was foundo the `
Registrar General or registrar, as the case .nay ;be; and for : l e
purpose
of this Ordinance, tile Superintendent of the Victoria G 01,; .arid Super-
intendent, warden or keeper of every hospital or Ether public or
charitable,
institution, shall be deemed the occupier thereof.
7, The father 'of every child born in the Colony of Hongkong after.
this Ordinance shall have come into operation or in case .of the fieath,,
illness, absence or inability of the father, the mother of such child,
shall
within thirty days after the, day of every such birth, give information to
the Renistrar General or registrar -of the district or place within which
such: birth may have occurred; or in case of the-- death, illness;
absence .
or.inability of the father and mother; the occf-Pier of the house or
tone-%'~
ment in, which such chili shall -leave' been born, shall within thirty -
days= ;
after the day of every such birth give in-formation ut)on being requested-'
so to ~lo, to the: Registrar General or `reistrar of the district or place
within which such birth may have occurred; according to the best of
'his: or he'r knowledge :end belief, of the sev era. particulars hereby
required
to lie-known or rebistdred.
Parents or
ocoupiers of
houses in
tvhich births `
or deaths
happen, and
policemen
and Coroner;
in case of
foundlings or
exposed dead
bodies to give
notice.
Parent or,
occupier of .
house
required to
give pa'rtirm=
tars of birthar-
so far as ~.,
ale to registry
,.;:after sapira
;tion of SO
`,days after
',- birth of
.child.
Natile:given
in baptisms.
mdf be regis-
tered:within &
rhpz~bhs after
Veii -etration
fa
V ~ ~ ~~ ;_ (A. Reduoed
~. ~ -~ to 10 cents by
k d ~ i ,- j =ordar in
I C ~' G'ou~cil 12th
1 !,'~ ` .. : February,
18?'4, printed
.at _ foot of
Ordiytanac.- `.
Isro:a : .
Some person
present at,
death, or '.
occupier of '
houserequired
`-to;give.
``~:si`ticulars of-
~eath:
Regiatiar to
make entry of;,
funding of-ahe
the jury upon
Coroner's
inquest. . ,
ORDINANCE No. T oF I872.-
Beyistrativn of Births and Deaths.
$, In all cases where the notice required by this Ordinance shall'U-
given to the Registrar General or any registrar within thirty days-~©f-`
the birth of any child eexclusive of the day of birth, no fee shall die'
required or paid for registering the said birth ; bat when such notice'
shall be given after the expiration of the said thirty days and wi-tlii
sixty days after the said- birth, exclusive of the day of birth, a fee of
odv-
dollar shall be required of and paid by the person who by virtue of blis_
Ordinance is charged, with the duty of giving notice of such birth. If'
,no such notice as aforesaid be given within the said sixty days, they
person charged with the duty of giving such notice shall be liable to 6°
fine' not exceeding twenty-five dollars.
9, If any child born. within the Colony whose birth shall have been
registered as aforesaid, shall within six months next after it shall have
been so registered, have any name given to it in baptism, the parent, or
guardian of such Fchild, or other person procuring such name to be giveh;_
may, within seven days next after such baptism, procure and deliver to
the :Registrav General or registrar, in whose custody the register of the
child may then happen to lie, a certificate, according to the form of
sche-
dule (C) to this Ordinance annexed, signed by the minister who shall
have performed the rite of baptism,., which certificate, such minister is
hereby required to deliver immediately after the baptism, whenever the
same shall be then demanded, on payment of the fee of one dollar, which
he shall, be therefor entitled to receive ; and the Registrar General or
registrar, upon receipt of such certificate, and on payment of the fee :of
one dollar, which he shall be therefor entitled to receive, shall, without
any erasure of the original entry, forthwith register therein that the
child was baptised by such name and the Registrar General or registrar,
.
shall thereupon certify upon the said certificate the additional entry so
made.
10: Some-person present at the death or ill attendance during tl~-
Iast illness of every person dying within tlo C'o'ony of hIonghong after
tliis~
Ordinance shall have come into operation or; in case of the death,
illnees;
inability, or-, default of: all such persons, the occupier of the house.
oi<=
tenement, or if the .occupier be, the person why shall have died, sorin
inmate of the house or tenement in which such death shall have happened;
shall; within seven days next after the day. of such death, give in
forcna~
-
tion,' upon being requested so to do, to the Registrar. GenEral. or=
regis-
ORDINANCE No. -I of 18'72:
Registration of Births and Deaths.
-tear, within whose district such death shall have occurred; according to
the best of his or her knowledge and belief, of the several particulars
hereby required to be known and registered, touching the death of such
person: Provided always, that in every case in which an inquest shall
be held on any dead body, the jury shall inquire of the particulars
herein required to be registered concerning the death, and the Coroner
shall inform the Registrar General of the finding of the jurors, and the
Registrar General shall make the entry accordingly.
11. The Registrar General and every registrar, immediately upon
registering any death, or as soon thereafter :is he shall be required so
to
-do, shall, without fee or reward, deliver to the undertaker or other
person
having charge of the funeral, a certificate under his hand according to
the form of schedule (E) to this Ordinance annexed, that such death
has been duly registered, and such certificate shall be delivered by such
undertaker or other person to the minister or officiating person (if any)
who shall be required to bury or to perform any religious service for the
burial of the dead body, and if any dead body shall be buried for which
no'such certificate shall have been delivered, the person who shall bury,
or perform any funeral or any religious service for the burial, shall
forth.
with give 'notice thereof t9 the Registrar: Provided= always,.that the
coozi-rmay
Coroner, (°~ Magistrate ' as amended by Ord. No:1 7-of 1.8881 =upon-
liolding
,any inquest, may order the body to be buried, if he shall jhink fit;
before'
registry of the death, and shall in such case give -a certificate of his
order
in writing under his hand, according to the form of schedule (F) to. this
Ordinance annexed, to such undertaker or other person having .charge of
the funeral, which shall be delivered as aforesaid ; and every person who
shall bury ox perform any funeral or any religious service for the burial
.of any dead--body for which- no certificate shall have been duly made and
-delivered as aforesaid, * either by the Registrar General,. registrar or
Coron,-? [' Jlccgi.strate'as,amendec~.by Ord. No. 1,7of.1888] and who
shall
not within seven days give notice thereof to the Registrar General,
shall forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding, fifty dollar' for every such
,offence. -
Registrar to
give certifi~
pate of
registry of
deaths to
undertaker,
who span
deliver the
same to the
minister or
other offici-
ating person.
if any.
order'body to:
be buried auil=--
give certifi:
pate thereof.
No dead bony,
to be buried
without ' -
certificate of
registry or of,
inquest. -'.
12: Every person by' whom the, information contained in any Register to be
register of birth or death under this Ordinance shall have 'aee,n given
informant,
shall l signed by the
-sign his nu,me, description, and place of abode in, tlae° register; and
no register of birth or death according to this O1di,riance shall be given
URDINAi~CE No. 7 0r 1872.
Registration of Births and Deaths.
in evidence which shall not be signed by some person . professing to be-
the informant, gad to be such party as is herein required to hive such,
information to the P~egistrar. General or rebistrar.
13. In the months of January, April, July and October, on such
days as shall from time to time be appointed. by the Registrar General,
every registrar shall make and send to the Registrar General on durable,-
materials, a true copy, certified by .him under his hand, according' to
the form of schedule (D) to this Ordinance annexed., of all the entries,
of births and deaths in the register book kept by him since the
last certificate, the first of such certificates to be given in the month
hereafter to be fixed by the Governor in the year one thousand eight
hundred and seventy-two, and to contain all entries made up to that.
time ; and the Reriistrar General shall verify the same, and if found to
be correct shall certify the same under his hand'to be a trite copy ; and
if there shall have been no birth or death registered since the delivery
of'
the last certificate, the registrar shall certify the fact, and such
certificate
shuUb6:del`iveced to the ht,evistrar General a's 'aforesaid, and
countersign- .
ed-by hiin and etch egistra>a shall peep safely such register books as
-
sha`ll:.be-Fplaced under his-control-,==uzit,I=each`of the said register
books-,
shall- be filled, grad shall then deliver it to the Registrar General, to
be
kept by him with the records of his office.
14. The Registrar General and every registrar, who shall have the-,
beeping for the time being of any register book of births or deaths, shall
at all reasonable times allow searches to be made of any register book in-.
his keeping, and the Registrar General shall give a copy certified under
his hand of any entry or entries in the same, on payment of the fee
hereinafter mentioned;, (that is to say) for -every search extending over
a period not less than one yeas the surn of fifty cents,, and twenty-five
cents additional for every additional year,. and the sum of one' dollar r
'fbrv'
every. single certificate.
15. ,The f-:egistrar General shall cause indexes of the register books
in, his officer to be made and kept with the oahc~r records of his office;
and every person shall be entitled at all reasonable hours to search the
;said indeAes, and to hove a certified copy of any entry= or entries in
the
said register books under the hand of,the,Registrar General on payment
xof,:-the fees *'hereinafter mentioned,; that is. to ;say :=for every
general...
'seiirch th-su zxz of two dollars, and for every, particular search the
sum of.
fifty cents, and,,for every such certified copy the szzzn of one dollar.
ORDINANCE -No. 7 of 1872.
Registration of Births and Deaths.
16. The Registrar General shall cause to be made a seal of the said
register office, and shall cause to be sBaled or stamped therewith all
terrified copies of entries given in the said office; and all certified
copies
.of entries purporting to be sealed or stamped with the seal of the said
.register office shall_be, received `as evidence of the birth or death to
which
the same relates, without a.nv,~, further,orwother~proo_£_ofRsnch~,
ent~;y: and
no certified copy purporting to be given in the said office shalli be of
any
force or effect which is not sealed, or stamped us aforesaid.
17. Every sum received under the provisions of this. Ordinance by tees for
aeareLes in.
,or on account of the Registrar General shall be accounted for and
paidlbt= the general
xegister office
to be account-
ed for to the
Treasury.
18. Every person who shall wilfully. make or cause to be made, for
the purpose of being inserted in any register of birth or death, any false
statement touching any of the particulars herein required to be known
and registered, shall be subject to the same loofas and penalties as if he
were guilty of perjury.
19. Every person who is charged with the duty. o£ registering
births eenatcyfor
or, deaths, who shall refuse `or. withQ tt reasonable cause=. omit
-to=regirstet'- rE~ ~r ~g
bi~titacd
any'birth of which he shall liave had due nottice_ as. aforeeai:d, ar7t1=
ever`:. d~ttx-ar1o~
person _ having the custody ° of,, any, , registerbook, . or c~rtxfied
co~x~s ~n~u~ g the ~.'
thereof, or of any part thereof, ,who shall carelessly lose or injure the
.;
-same, or carelessly allow the same to be injured whilst . in. -his
keeping,,
shall forfeit a sum not exceeding two hundred dollars for every such
offence.
him into the Colonial 'treasury.
Certified
copies-giv
at general
ter~
r
t7b~e
seal
Penalties fox
wilfully
giving false
information.
20. Every person who shall wilfully destroy or injure, or cause to
be destroyed or injured, any each 'register book; or any part or certified
.copy of any part thereof, or~sh',all'faely make or counterfeit,, or
cause to
be fzlsely made or counterfeited, ably part .of any such register book or.
-certified copy thereof,-orallill wilfully insert or cause to be inserted
in
any register boob, or certified;.cohy thereof any false entry of any.
birth,
death or mar'riage,'ors1l:=,wili'ully give any false cei°tificate, or
shall
certify any writing to be o- copy or' extract o£ any register book,
knowing
the same register to be false in any part thereof, or shall forge or
counter-
feit the seal of the register office; shall be guilty of felony; and,
being
convicted thereof, shall be liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be
kept in penal servitude foil any term not exceeding seen years and not
agoidental
eiirors may be
corrected.
forma:
ORDINANCE No. 11 of 1$72,
Registration of Births and Deaths.
less than three years, or to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding
two years with or without hard labour.
21. No person charged with the duty of registering any birth or-
death, who shall discover any error to have been committed in the form
or substance of any such entry, shall be therefore liable to any of the
penalties aforesaid if within one calendar month next after the discovery
of such error, in the presence of the parents of the child whose birth may
have been so registered, or of two persons attending upon any. person in -
his or her last illness whose death may have been so registered, or in.
cams of the death or absence of the respective parties aforesaid, then in=
the presence of the Registrar General, or in the case of the Registrar
General himself in the presence of the Colonial KS)ecretary and of two
other
credible witnesses who shall respectively attest the same, he shall
correct
the erroneous entry according to the truth of the case, by entry on the
margin, without any alteration of the original entry, and shall sign the
marginal entry, and add thereunto the day of the month and year when
such correction shall be made.
22. ,All fides- aid` forfeitures by this Ordinance imposed unless
otherwise directed, shall 4e recovered before any Police Magistrate, upon
the information or complaint of any person, under the provisions of'
Ordinance No. 10 of 1844.
23. It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council to frame such
regulations as may be found necessary or desirable for the due carrying
into effect of the provisions of this Ordinance, and from time to time- to
alter or amend- the forms given in the sched ales hereto.
This Ordinance, shall come into force on such day as shall be-
Commence-
ment of
ordinance. .hereafter fixed by proclamation under the hand of the Governor.
p~ ~~ .c,~_.~°' i SCHEWLES.
1672. Births in the District tlf Hongkong.
Name
014,
Signature,
~
and Name and hank or I)escrrption, Signature Baptismal Name,
No. When Name Sex. Surname Maiden Profession and when of if udded after
born. if guy, of Surname of Father. Residence Registered.
Registrar. Registration
Father, of;rllothgr. of of Birth.
Informant.
1 7tla Jan. James. B~y. William Rebecca Carpenter. William- BtAJan. John Can,
Green. (7tSBIt Green, Legaty
. ~ fonmerty l^ad,ar,12, . RegieMwr.
Jennings. Queen's
Road. -
NoTl;.-The Words and figures in italics in this schedule to be filledin
as the case may bet
No.
When D.ed.
4th FeGmuary.
ORDINANCE No. 'T of 1872.
Registration of Births and Deaths.
Deaths in the District of
Name and hank and
Surname. Sex. Age. profession.
William Male. 43 Carpnater.
76.
Cause
of
Death.
Iiongkong.
Signature,
Description and
Hestdence-of
Iaformnnt.
Rebecca Green,
Widow,
Queen's Road.
When
Registered.
5th February.
Signature of
Registrar.
John Cox,
Rtyiatrar.
NOTE.-The words and figures in italics to be filled in as the case may be.
I, Gilbert Elliott, Colonial Chaplain of Hongkong, do hereby ' certify,
that I have
this day baptised by the name of Tlxomas a inale child, produced to me by
Williansx
Green, as the son of William Green and Rebecca Green, and declared by
tile said William
Green to have boon born at Hongkong on the day , of
I, John Cox, registrar of births and deathff `in the district of
do hereby certify that this is a true copy of the reg'istrar's book of
births {or deaths)
within the said district, from the entry of the birth (or death) -of
James Green, No.
to the entry of the birth,(or death) of William Strange, No.
Witness my hand this day of
Gilbert Elliott,
Chaplain..
John Cox,.
Registrar.'
I, John Cox, registrar of birt7~s and deaths in the district of
Hongkong, do hereby certify, that the death .of Henry Hastings has been
duly 're-
gistered by me on. the day of 18 ,
Witness my' hand this day yf _ 18 _ : -
. -A - ~olax Cox,
` Registrar.
Registration of Births and Deaths
No. 7 of 1872.
(F.)
I, Alfred Listen Coroner [`Magistrate' as anxcnded by Ord. No. 17 of 1888] for the
Colony of Hongkong, do hereby order the burial of the body now shown to the inquest
jury as the body of Ho Chi.
Witness my hand this day of 18
A feed Lister,
Coroner. ['Magistrate,'
as amended by Ord. No. 1 7 of 1888.]
[In force from, the 1st January, 1873, under Proclamation 23rd October, 1872.]
1128
Title.
Preamble.
Registrar General to be Chief Registrar of births and deaths.
District registers to be estalished at certain places.
Registers of Chinese birhts, &c., to be kept in English and Chinese.
Register books to be provided.
Registrar to register births and deaths.
1129
Parents or occupiers of houses in which births or deaths happen, and policemen and Coroners in case of foundings or exposed dead bodies to give notice.
Parent or occupier of house required to give particulars of births so far as known.
1130
As to registry after expiration of 30 days after birth of child.
Name given in baptism may be registered within 6 months after registration of birth.
[ * Reduced to 10 cents by order in Council 12th February, 1874, printed at foot of Ordinance No. 17 of 1870.]
Some person present at death, or occupier of house required to give particulars of death.
Registrar to make entry of finding of the jury upon Coroner's inquest.
1131
Registrar to give certificate of registry of deaths to undertaker, who shall deliver the same to the minister or other officiating person, if any.
Conorner may order body to be buried and give certificate thereof.
No dead body to be buried without certificate of registry or of inquest.
Register to be signed by the informant.
1132
Certified copies if registers of births and deaths to be sent quarterly and the register books when filled to the Registrar General.
Searches may be made, and certificates given.
Indexes to be made at the Registrar General's office, and perosns allowed to search them.
1133
Certified copies given at general register office to be sealed.
Fees for searches in the general register office to be accounted for to the Treasury.
Penalties for wilfully giving false information.
Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths or for losing or injuring the registers.
Penalty for destroying or falsifying register books.
1134
Accidental errors may be corrected.
Recovery of penalties.
Governr in Council may frame regulations, and other forms.
Commencement Ordinance.
1135
1136
Registration of Births and Deaths.
No. 7 of 18'2.
An Ordinance for registering Births and Deaths in Hongkong.,
23rd July, 1872.
WIIEREA.S it is expedient to provide the means for a complete
register of the births and deaths of the inhabitants of the Colony:
of Hongkong: Be it enacted by the Governor of UoDykoDfr, with' the
advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:.
to be
chief Regis-
tear of births
and deaths.
registers to be
~stabli~liedE~a~
Cer tain:
13Iaaes. °..
1, the office of the Registrar General shall be 'The General (~egiste>
Office' for keeping a register of all births and deaths of the inhabitants
of the Colony of Hongkong, and the Rebistrar General shall be the Chief
Registrar of all such births and deaths.
2. District registers of births and deaths shall be kept at such Police
stations in the city of Victoria, and at such other stations in the
villages
which ixiay be hereafter declared by the Governor to be register offices,
and the inspector,' sergeant or other Police officer for the time being
;in
ciiarbe~ o£ sixth staiGion shall..be-a registrar of all births and deaths
occurring Wit `the dis~rct~ place or village..where such Police station
is situate.
Iiegisters.of ~ 3. All registers of the births and deaths o£ the Chinese
population
:
births, &o., bio., of the Colony shall be kept in both the English and
Chinese languages
,_.,to be kept in
kngliah and
chi
~eae.
y et~;- 4: The Registrar General shall cause to be printed on account of
books t5be',
prrwiaed.. ` the said register once a sufficiemt mui~aber of register
books for malzing
entries of all births arid deaths, of the inhabitant's of the Colony of
-long according to the foriri -of schedules =(:A.) and (B) to this
Ordinance'
is'gi4aa .
tt 'i
1 69
1r,2141
deaths. - -.
annexedas them shall be printed-,ixpon each side of every leaf the heads
of ipfor-
rriatoon herein required to be known anal registered of births and deaths
respectively ; and every laaae, of each such books .shall be numbered pro-
bressivel.y, from, the 'beginning -to th.e.end-, -beginni6g'lwiflu,
riuniber one',;..
and every place of entry shall be also .numbered progressively from the-
beginning to` the -end of the book,: beginning with :Dumber one ;-and`
every entry shall be ;divided. from the follo5viag entry by,a printed
li`r%e. ;
5. The Registrar General shall cause himself .to be provided with
and shall furnis-I to every registrar, a sufficient number, of register
books.
of kiirths and of register books of deaths ; and the Registrar General and
ORDINANCE No. 7-ok 1872:
egistration of Births and Deaths:
every registrar shall be authorised, and is hereby required, to inform
himself carefully of every birth and every death which shall happen
within his districts or district, place or village after this Ordinance
shall
leave cone into operation, and to learn and register as soon after the
event
as conveniently may be done, without fee or reward save as hereinafter
mentioned, in one of the said books, tile particulars required to be
registered according to the forms in the -said schedules (A) and (73)
repectively touching every such birth or every such death, His the case
may be, which shall not have been already registered, every such entry
being made in order from the beginning to the end of the book.
6. Tlle father or mother of any child- born, or the occupier of every
house, or tenement within the Colony of Hongkong in which any birth
or death shall happen after this Ordinance shall have come into operation,
may within seven days next after the day of such birth or within five
days after the clay of such death. respectively, give notice of such
birth or
death to the Registrar General or to the registrar of the district,
village
or place in which, such birth or death shall have occurred ; and in case
any new born child or any dead body shall be found exposed, any Police
constable who shall have found such child exposed, and the Coroner. In.
the case of the dead body, shall forthwith give notice andjpformatlon :;
thereof and of the place where such child or deed body was foundo the `
Registrar General or registrar, as the case .nay ;be; and for : l e
purpose
of this Ordinance, tile Superintendent of the Victoria G 01,; .arid Super-
intendent, warden or keeper of every hospital or Ether public or
charitable,
institution, shall be deemed the occupier thereof.
7, The father 'of every child born in the Colony of Hongkong after.
this Ordinance shall have come into operation or in case .of the fieath,,
illness, absence or inability of the father, the mother of such child,
shall
within thirty days after the, day of every such birth, give information to
the Renistrar General or registrar -of the district or place within which
such: birth may have occurred; or in case of the-- death, illness;
absence .
or.inability of the father and mother; the occf-Pier of the house or
tone-%'~
ment in, which such chili shall -leave' been born, shall within thirty -
days= ;
after the day of every such birth give in-formation ut)on being requested-'
so to ~lo, to the: Registrar General or `reistrar of the district or place
within which such birth may have occurred; according to the best of
'his: or he'r knowledge :end belief, of the sev era. particulars hereby
required
to lie-known or rebistdred.
Parents or
ocoupiers of
houses in
tvhich births `
or deaths
happen, and
policemen
and Coroner;
in case of
foundlings or
exposed dead
bodies to give
notice.
Parent or,
occupier of .
house
required to
give pa'rtirm=
tars of birthar-
so far as ~.,
ale to registry
,.;:after sapira
;tion of SO
`,days after
',- birth of
.child.
Natile:given
in baptisms.
mdf be regis-
tered:within &
rhpz~bhs after
Veii -etration
fa
V ~ ~ ~~ ;_ (A. Reduoed
~. ~ -~ to 10 cents by
k d ~ i ,- j =ordar in
I C ~' G'ou~cil 12th
1 !,'~ ` .. : February,
18?'4, printed
.at _ foot of
Ordiytanac.- `.
Isro:a : .
Some person
present at,
death, or '.
occupier of '
houserequired
`-to;give.
``~:si`ticulars of-
~eath:
Regiatiar to
make entry of;,
funding of-ahe
the jury upon
Coroner's
inquest. . ,
ORDINANCE No. T oF I872.-
Beyistrativn of Births and Deaths.
$, In all cases where the notice required by this Ordinance shall'U-
given to the Registrar General or any registrar within thirty days-~©f-`
the birth of any child eexclusive of the day of birth, no fee shall die'
required or paid for registering the said birth ; bat when such notice'
shall be given after the expiration of the said thirty days and wi-tlii
sixty days after the said- birth, exclusive of the day of birth, a fee of
odv-
dollar shall be required of and paid by the person who by virtue of blis_
Ordinance is charged, with the duty of giving notice of such birth. If'
,no such notice as aforesaid be given within the said sixty days, they
person charged with the duty of giving such notice shall be liable to 6°
fine' not exceeding twenty-five dollars.
9, If any child born. within the Colony whose birth shall have been
registered as aforesaid, shall within six months next after it shall have
been so registered, have any name given to it in baptism, the parent, or
guardian of such Fchild, or other person procuring such name to be giveh;_
may, within seven days next after such baptism, procure and deliver to
the :Registrav General or registrar, in whose custody the register of the
child may then happen to lie, a certificate, according to the form of
sche-
dule (C) to this Ordinance annexed, signed by the minister who shall
have performed the rite of baptism,., which certificate, such minister is
hereby required to deliver immediately after the baptism, whenever the
same shall be then demanded, on payment of the fee of one dollar, which
he shall, be therefor entitled to receive ; and the Registrar General or
registrar, upon receipt of such certificate, and on payment of the fee :of
one dollar, which he shall be therefor entitled to receive, shall, without
any erasure of the original entry, forthwith register therein that the
child was baptised by such name and the Registrar General or registrar,
.
shall thereupon certify upon the said certificate the additional entry so
made.
10: Some-person present at the death or ill attendance during tl~-
Iast illness of every person dying within tlo C'o'ony of hIonghong after
tliis~
Ordinance shall have come into operation or; in case of the death,
illnees;
inability, or-, default of: all such persons, the occupier of the house.
oi<=
tenement, or if the .occupier be, the person why shall have died, sorin
inmate of the house or tenement in which such death shall have happened;
shall; within seven days next after the day. of such death, give in
forcna~
-
tion,' upon being requested so to do, to the Registrar. GenEral. or=
regis-
ORDINANCE No. -I of 18'72:
Registration of Births and Deaths.
-tear, within whose district such death shall have occurred; according to
the best of his or her knowledge and belief, of the several particulars
hereby required to be known and registered, touching the death of such
person: Provided always, that in every case in which an inquest shall
be held on any dead body, the jury shall inquire of the particulars
herein required to be registered concerning the death, and the Coroner
shall inform the Registrar General of the finding of the jurors, and the
Registrar General shall make the entry accordingly.
11. The Registrar General and every registrar, immediately upon
registering any death, or as soon thereafter :is he shall be required so
to
-do, shall, without fee or reward, deliver to the undertaker or other
person
having charge of the funeral, a certificate under his hand according to
the form of schedule (E) to this Ordinance annexed, that such death
has been duly registered, and such certificate shall be delivered by such
undertaker or other person to the minister or officiating person (if any)
who shall be required to bury or to perform any religious service for the
burial of the dead body, and if any dead body shall be buried for which
no'such certificate shall have been delivered, the person who shall bury,
or perform any funeral or any religious service for the burial, shall
forth.
with give 'notice thereof t9 the Registrar: Provided= always,.that the
coozi-rmay
Coroner, (°~ Magistrate ' as amended by Ord. No:1 7-of 1.8881 =upon-
liolding
,any inquest, may order the body to be buried, if he shall jhink fit;
before'
registry of the death, and shall in such case give -a certificate of his
order
in writing under his hand, according to the form of schedule (F) to. this
Ordinance annexed, to such undertaker or other person having .charge of
the funeral, which shall be delivered as aforesaid ; and every person who
shall bury ox perform any funeral or any religious service for the burial
.of any dead--body for which- no certificate shall have been duly made and
-delivered as aforesaid, * either by the Registrar General,. registrar or
Coron,-? [' Jlccgi.strate'as,amendec~.by Ord. No. 1,7of.1888] and who
shall
not within seven days give notice thereof to the Registrar General,
shall forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding, fifty dollar' for every such
,offence. -
Registrar to
give certifi~
pate of
registry of
deaths to
undertaker,
who span
deliver the
same to the
minister or
other offici-
ating person.
if any.
order'body to:
be buried auil=--
give certifi:
pate thereof.
No dead bony,
to be buried
without ' -
certificate of
registry or of,
inquest. -'.
12: Every person by' whom the, information contained in any Register to be
register of birth or death under this Ordinance shall have 'aee,n given
informant,
shall l signed by the
-sign his nu,me, description, and place of abode in, tlae° register; and
no register of birth or death according to this O1di,riance shall be given
URDINAi~CE No. 7 0r 1872.
Registration of Births and Deaths.
in evidence which shall not be signed by some person . professing to be-
the informant, gad to be such party as is herein required to hive such,
information to the P~egistrar. General or rebistrar.
13. In the months of January, April, July and October, on such
days as shall from time to time be appointed. by the Registrar General,
every registrar shall make and send to the Registrar General on durable,-
materials, a true copy, certified by .him under his hand, according' to
the form of schedule (D) to this Ordinance annexed., of all the entries,
of births and deaths in the register book kept by him since the
last certificate, the first of such certificates to be given in the month
hereafter to be fixed by the Governor in the year one thousand eight
hundred and seventy-two, and to contain all entries made up to that.
time ; and the Reriistrar General shall verify the same, and if found to
be correct shall certify the same under his hand'to be a trite copy ; and
if there shall have been no birth or death registered since the delivery
of'
the last certificate, the registrar shall certify the fact, and such
certificate
shuUb6:del`iveced to the ht,evistrar General a's 'aforesaid, and
countersign- .
ed-by hiin and etch egistra>a shall peep safely such register books as
-
sha`ll:.be-Fplaced under his-control-,==uzit,I=each`of the said register
books-,
shall- be filled, grad shall then deliver it to the Registrar General, to
be
kept by him with the records of his office.
14. The Registrar General and every registrar, who shall have the-,
beeping for the time being of any register book of births or deaths, shall
at all reasonable times allow searches to be made of any register book in-.
his keeping, and the Registrar General shall give a copy certified under
his hand of any entry or entries in the same, on payment of the fee
hereinafter mentioned;, (that is to say) for -every search extending over
a period not less than one yeas the surn of fifty cents,, and twenty-five
cents additional for every additional year,. and the sum of one' dollar r
'fbrv'
every. single certificate.
15. ,The f-:egistrar General shall cause indexes of the register books
in, his officer to be made and kept with the oahc~r records of his office;
and every person shall be entitled at all reasonable hours to search the
;said indeAes, and to hove a certified copy of any entry= or entries in
the
said register books under the hand of,the,Registrar General on payment
xof,:-the fees *'hereinafter mentioned,; that is. to ;say :=for every
general...
'seiirch th-su zxz of two dollars, and for every, particular search the
sum of.
fifty cents, and,,for every such certified copy the szzzn of one dollar.
ORDINANCE -No. 7 of 1872.
Registration of Births and Deaths.
16. The Registrar General shall cause to be made a seal of the said
register office, and shall cause to be sBaled or stamped therewith all
terrified copies of entries given in the said office; and all certified
copies
.of entries purporting to be sealed or stamped with the seal of the said
.register office shall_be, received `as evidence of the birth or death to
which
the same relates, without a.nv,~, further,orwother~proo_£_ofRsnch~,
ent~;y: and
no certified copy purporting to be given in the said office shalli be of
any
force or effect which is not sealed, or stamped us aforesaid.
17. Every sum received under the provisions of this. Ordinance by tees for
aeareLes in.
,or on account of the Registrar General shall be accounted for and
paidlbt= the general
xegister office
to be account-
ed for to the
Treasury.
18. Every person who shall wilfully. make or cause to be made, for
the purpose of being inserted in any register of birth or death, any false
statement touching any of the particulars herein required to be known
and registered, shall be subject to the same loofas and penalties as if he
were guilty of perjury.
19. Every person who is charged with the duty. o£ registering
births eenatcyfor
or, deaths, who shall refuse `or. withQ tt reasonable cause=. omit
-to=regirstet'- rE~ ~r ~g
bi~titacd
any'birth of which he shall liave had due nottice_ as. aforeeai:d, ar7t1=
ever`:. d~ttx-ar1o~
person _ having the custody ° of,, any, , registerbook, . or c~rtxfied
co~x~s ~n~u~ g the ~.'
thereof, or of any part thereof, ,who shall carelessly lose or injure the
.;
-same, or carelessly allow the same to be injured whilst . in. -his
keeping,,
shall forfeit a sum not exceeding two hundred dollars for every such
offence.
him into the Colonial 'treasury.
Certified
copies-giv
at general
ter~
r
t7b~e
seal
Penalties fox
wilfully
giving false
information.
20. Every person who shall wilfully destroy or injure, or cause to
be destroyed or injured, any each 'register book; or any part or certified
.copy of any part thereof, or~sh',all'faely make or counterfeit,, or
cause to
be fzlsely made or counterfeited, ably part .of any such register book or.
-certified copy thereof,-orallill wilfully insert or cause to be inserted
in
any register boob, or certified;.cohy thereof any false entry of any.
birth,
death or mar'riage,'ors1l:=,wili'ully give any false cei°tificate, or
shall
certify any writing to be o- copy or' extract o£ any register book,
knowing
the same register to be false in any part thereof, or shall forge or
counter-
feit the seal of the register office; shall be guilty of felony; and,
being
convicted thereof, shall be liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be
kept in penal servitude foil any term not exceeding seen years and not
agoidental
eiirors may be
corrected.
forma:
ORDINANCE No. 11 of 1$72,
Registration of Births and Deaths.
less than three years, or to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding
two years with or without hard labour.
21. No person charged with the duty of registering any birth or-
death, who shall discover any error to have been committed in the form
or substance of any such entry, shall be therefore liable to any of the
penalties aforesaid if within one calendar month next after the discovery
of such error, in the presence of the parents of the child whose birth may
have been so registered, or of two persons attending upon any. person in -
his or her last illness whose death may have been so registered, or in.
cams of the death or absence of the respective parties aforesaid, then in=
the presence of the Registrar General, or in the case of the Registrar
General himself in the presence of the Colonial KS)ecretary and of two
other
credible witnesses who shall respectively attest the same, he shall
correct
the erroneous entry according to the truth of the case, by entry on the
margin, without any alteration of the original entry, and shall sign the
marginal entry, and add thereunto the day of the month and year when
such correction shall be made.
22. ,All fides- aid` forfeitures by this Ordinance imposed unless
otherwise directed, shall 4e recovered before any Police Magistrate, upon
the information or complaint of any person, under the provisions of'
Ordinance No. 10 of 1844.
23. It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council to frame such
regulations as may be found necessary or desirable for the due carrying
into effect of the provisions of this Ordinance, and from time to time- to
alter or amend- the forms given in the sched ales hereto.
This Ordinance, shall come into force on such day as shall be-
Commence-
ment of
ordinance. .hereafter fixed by proclamation under the hand of the Governor.
p~ ~~ .c,~_.~°' i SCHEWLES.
1672. Births in the District tlf Hongkong.
Name
014,
Signature,
~
and Name and hank or I)escrrption, Signature Baptismal Name,
No. When Name Sex. Surname Maiden Profession and when of if udded after
born. if guy, of Surname of Father. Residence Registered.
Registrar. Registration
Father, of;rllothgr. of of Birth.
Informant.
1 7tla Jan. James. B~y. William Rebecca Carpenter. William- BtAJan. John Can,
Green. (7tSBIt Green, Legaty
. ~ fonmerty l^ad,ar,12, . RegieMwr.
Jennings. Queen's
Road. -
NoTl;.-The Words and figures in italics in this schedule to be filledin
as the case may bet
No.
When D.ed.
4th FeGmuary.
ORDINANCE No. 'T of 1872.
Registration of Births and Deaths.
Deaths in the District of
Name and hank and
Surname. Sex. Age. profession.
William Male. 43 Carpnater.
76.
Cause
of
Death.
Iiongkong.
Signature,
Description and
Hestdence-of
Iaformnnt.
Rebecca Green,
Widow,
Queen's Road.
When
Registered.
5th February.
Signature of
Registrar.
John Cox,
Rtyiatrar.
NOTE.-The words and figures in italics to be filled in as the case may be.
I, Gilbert Elliott, Colonial Chaplain of Hongkong, do hereby ' certify,
that I have
this day baptised by the name of Tlxomas a inale child, produced to me by
Williansx
Green, as the son of William Green and Rebecca Green, and declared by
tile said William
Green to have boon born at Hongkong on the day , of
I, John Cox, registrar of births and deathff `in the district of
do hereby certify that this is a true copy of the reg'istrar's book of
births {or deaths)
within the said district, from the entry of the birth (or death) -of
James Green, No.
to the entry of the birth,(or death) of William Strange, No.
Witness my hand this day of
Gilbert Elliott,
Chaplain..
John Cox,.
Registrar.'
I, John Cox, registrar of birt7~s and deaths in the district of
Hongkong, do hereby certify, that the death .of Henry Hastings has been
duly 're-
gistered by me on. the day of 18 ,
Witness my' hand this day yf _ 18 _ : -
. -A - ~olax Cox,
` Registrar.
Registration of Births and Deaths
No. 7 of 1872.
(F.)
I, Alfred Listen Coroner [`Magistrate' as anxcnded by Ord. No. 17 of 1888] for the
Colony of Hongkong, do hereby order the burial of the body now shown to the inquest
jury as the body of Ho Chi.
Witness my hand this day of 18
A feed Lister,
Coroner. ['Magistrate,'
as amended by Ord. No. 1 7 of 1888.]
[In force from, the 1st January, 1873, under Proclamation 23rd October, 1872.]
1128
Title.
Preamble.
Registrar General to be Chief Registrar of births and deaths.
District registers to be estalished at certain places.
Registers of Chinese birhts, &c., to be kept in English and Chinese.
Register books to be provided.
Registrar to register births and deaths.
1129
Parents or occupiers of houses in which births or deaths happen, and policemen and Coroners in case of foundings or exposed dead bodies to give notice.
Parent or occupier of house required to give particulars of births so far as known.
1130
As to registry after expiration of 30 days after birth of child.
Name given in baptism may be registered within 6 months after registration of birth.
[ * Reduced to 10 cents by order in Council 12th February, 1874, printed at foot of Ordinance No. 17 of 1870.]
Some person present at death, or occupier of house required to give particulars of death.
Registrar to make entry of finding of the jury upon Coroner's inquest.
1131
Registrar to give certificate of registry of deaths to undertaker, who shall deliver the same to the minister or other officiating person, if any.
Conorner may order body to be buried and give certificate thereof.
No dead body to be buried without certificate of registry or of inquest.
Register to be signed by the informant.
1132
Certified copies if registers of births and deaths to be sent quarterly and the register books when filled to the Registrar General.
Searches may be made, and certificates given.
Indexes to be made at the Registrar General's office, and perosns allowed to search them.
1133
Certified copies given at general register office to be sealed.
Fees for searches in the general register office to be accounted for to the Treasury.
Penalties for wilfully giving false information.
Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths or for losing or injuring the registers.
Penalty for destroying or falsifying register books.
1134
Accidental errors may be corrected.
Recovery of penalties.
Governr in Council may frame regulations, and other forms.
Commencement Ordinance.
1135
1136
Abstract
1128
Title.
Preamble.
Registrar General to be Chief Registrar of births and deaths.
District registers to be estalished at certain places.
Registers of Chinese birhts, &c., to be kept in English and Chinese.
Register books to be provided.
Registrar to register births and deaths.
1129
Parents or occupiers of houses in which births or deaths happen, and policemen and Coroners in case of foundings or exposed dead bodies to give notice.
Parent or occupier of house required to give particulars of births so far as known.
1130
As to registry after expiration of 30 days after birth of child.
Name given in baptism may be registered within 6 months after registration of birth.
[ * Reduced to 10 cents by order in Council 12th February, 1874, printed at foot of Ordinance No. 17 of 1870.]
Some person present at death, or occupier of house required to give particulars of death.
Registrar to make entry of finding of the jury upon Coroner's inquest.
1131
Registrar to give certificate of registry of deaths to undertaker, who shall deliver the same to the minister or other officiating person, if any.
Conorner may order body to be buried and give certificate thereof.
No dead body to be buried without certificate of registry or of inquest.
Register to be signed by the informant.
1132
Certified copies if registers of births and deaths to be sent quarterly and the register books when filled to the Registrar General.
Searches may be made, and certificates given.
Indexes to be made at the Registrar General's office, and perosns allowed to search them.
1133
Certified copies given at general register office to be sealed.
Fees for searches in the general register office to be accounted for to the Treasury.
Penalties for wilfully giving false information.
Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths or for losing or injuring the registers.
Penalty for destroying or falsifying register books.
1134
Accidental errors may be corrected.
Recovery of penalties.
Governr in Council may frame regulations, and other forms.
Commencement Ordinance.
1135
1136
Title.
Preamble.
Registrar General to be Chief Registrar of births and deaths.
District registers to be estalished at certain places.
Registers of Chinese birhts, &c., to be kept in English and Chinese.
Register books to be provided.
Registrar to register births and deaths.
1129
Parents or occupiers of houses in which births or deaths happen, and policemen and Coroners in case of foundings or exposed dead bodies to give notice.
Parent or occupier of house required to give particulars of births so far as known.
1130
As to registry after expiration of 30 days after birth of child.
Name given in baptism may be registered within 6 months after registration of birth.
[ * Reduced to 10 cents by order in Council 12th February, 1874, printed at foot of Ordinance No. 17 of 1870.]
Some person present at death, or occupier of house required to give particulars of death.
Registrar to make entry of finding of the jury upon Coroner's inquest.
1131
Registrar to give certificate of registry of deaths to undertaker, who shall deliver the same to the minister or other officiating person, if any.
Conorner may order body to be buried and give certificate thereof.
No dead body to be buried without certificate of registry or of inquest.
Register to be signed by the informant.
1132
Certified copies if registers of births and deaths to be sent quarterly and the register books when filled to the Registrar General.
Searches may be made, and certificates given.
Indexes to be made at the Registrar General's office, and perosns allowed to search them.
1133
Certified copies given at general register office to be sealed.
Fees for searches in the general register office to be accounted for to the Treasury.
Penalties for wilfully giving false information.
Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths or for losing or injuring the registers.
Penalty for destroying or falsifying register books.
1134
Accidental errors may be corrected.
Recovery of penalties.
Governr in Council may frame regulations, and other forms.
Commencement Ordinance.
1135
1136
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/304
Edition
1890
Volume
v2
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 7 of 1872
Number of Pages
9
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS ORDINANCE,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed March 4, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/304.
