BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, 1896
Title
BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, 1896
Description
No. 7 of 1896.
To consolidate and amend the law relating to the Registration
of Births and Deaths. [11th August 1896.]
1. The Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1896.
2. In this Ordinance,-
House ' includes any building, structure, ship, steainer, beat,
or craft:
'Public instittition '' includes a prison, lock up, reformatory,
workhouse, lunatic asyluin, and hosplilal
'Occupier' includes the governor, keeper, master, manager,
director, matron, superintendent, or other chief resident officer of
every convent or public or charitable or religious institution, and,
where a house is let or sub-let in separate floors or rooms or com-
partments, includes any person residing in such house who either
receives or pays rent for such sepanite floors or rooms or compart-
ments. In cases where a whole house is occupied by any person,
without being let or sub-let as aforesaid, such person shall, whether
he is the owner or not, be deemed to be the 'occupier.'
'Magistrate ' means a discharging the duties of
Coroner.
3-(1) The office of the Sanitary Department shall be ' The
General Register Office ' for keeping a register of all births and
deaths which happen in the Colony.
The duties of registrar of Births and Deaths shall be
performed by the Head ofSanitary Department (hercinafter called
the Registrar), and any act which is aulhonsed or required by this
Ordinance to be, done by the Registrar may be done, by any officer
of theSanitary Department appointed in writing by the Registrar
for that purpose. Such officers shall bee styled 'Assistant Re-
gistrars and where any act is authorised or required by this
Ordinance to be done by ' a registrar ' it may be done by
the Registrar or by any Assistant Registrar.
4.-(1) District registers of births and deaths for Chinese shall
be kept at such police station as may be approved by the
Governor as register offices, and the officers in charge of such
As amended 1) n ~. (
y No. 50 of H)11, No. 1 of 1912 and N f 1912.
As amended by No. 2 of 1.912.
As ainended by No. 2 of 1912 and No. 3 of 1912.
stations and the principal clerk at everv Public Dispensary shall
be assistant registrars in respect of all births and deaths of Chinese
occurring within the districts, assigned by the Registrar under
section 7 (2), where such police stations are situate.
(2) Every Chinese by required by this Ordinance to give information
concerning a birth or n death shall give the information to the as-
sistant registrar of fine district in which the birth or death took
place, subject, in the case of a birth, to the. provisions of section 10
(3).
5. Realsters of births and deaths of Chinese shall be kept in both
the English and Chinese languages.
6.-(1) The Registrar shall cause, to be printed register books of
births and register books of deaths in the form 1 and 2 in the sche-
dule, which be shall supply to the assistant registrars.
(2) The books shall be of durable materials, and in them shall
be printed, upon each side of every leaf, the, heads of information
herein required to be registered of births and deaths respectively;
and every page of each book shall be numbered progressively from
the beginniner to the end, beginning with iminher one; and ever
place of entry shall be also numbered progressively from the begin-
ning to the end of the book beginning with number one, and every
entry shall be divided from the following entry by a printed line.
7-(1) Every assistant registrar is hereby required to inform
himself carefully of every birth and death which happens within
the district assigned to him by the Registrar, and to learn and
register, as soon after the event as conveniently be done,
without any fee, save as hereinafter mentioned, the particulars
required to be registered accorcling to the said forms respectively
touching every such birth or death which flas not been already
registered, every such entry being made in order from tbe beginning
to the end of the book.
(2) The Registrar shall assign districts to the assistant registrars,
and the limits of such districts shall be notifed in the Gazette.
8.-(1) 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
As aniended hy -No. 1, of 11)12.
As
y No. 50 of 1,911, X0. 1 of 1912 and No. 2 of 1912.
A.9 anionded b~7 No. 1. of 1912 Iiicl No. 2 of 1.912.
such finding to a registrar, and within 7 days to give, to the best of his
knowledge and belief, such information of the, particulars required to be
registered concerning the birth of such child as the informant possesses, and,
in the presence of! such registrar, to sign the register.
(2) In case any living new-born child is brought to and admitted into any
convent or public or charitable, or religious institution, it
shall be the duty of the person admitting such child, or
having charge of the convent or institution to ascertain, at the time
of admission, from the person bringing such child such information
of the particulars required to be registered concerning the birth of
such child as can be elicited, and if such child has been born in the
Colony, then, within 7 days after admission, to give such information
to a registrar.
9. 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 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 42 days after the day of such birth, give information to the
Registrar or the assistant registrar of the district within which such
birth may have occurred, according to the best of his or her know-
ledge and belief, of the several articulars required to be registered,
and shall, in the presence of the Registrar or such assistant registrar, sign
the register.
10-(1) In every case where the information required by this Ordinance is
given within 42 days of the birth of any child, exclusive of the day of birth, no
fee shall be required or paid for registering the said birth ; but when such
Information is given dter [lie expiration of the said 42 days and within 12
months after the said bidli, exclusive of the day of birth, a fee of one dollar
shall be paid by the person who is charged with the duty of giving information
concerning such birth. If no such information is given within 3 months after
the said birth, the person charged with the duty of giving such inforination
shall, on summary Conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 2.5 dollars.
Afler the expiration of 12 months next after the birth of ain child, that birth
shall not be
As aniended by No. 50 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912 and No. 2 of 191-~.
As ainended by --~o. J0 of 1911, 1 of ~912, No. ~~ of 1912
and
No. 21 of 11,112.
registered except with the consent of the Registrar, and the fact
of such consent having been given shall be entered in the register.
A fee of 5 dollars shall be nald in the nse of the registraton of the
birth of a child after the expiration of 12 months next after the
birth of Such child.
(2) Tn the case of (in illegitimate child, no person shall, as father
of sach child, be required to give information concerning the birth
of such child, and there shall nct 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.
(3) An person required by this Ordinance to give information
concerning a birth who removes, before such birth is registered,
out of the district in which such birth has taken place may, within
42 days after such birth, give the required information to the
Registrar or to the assistant, registrar of the district in which lie
resides, and shall, at the time of giving such information, sign the
registier in the presence of such officer.
11-(1) When the birth of any child has been registered and
the name, if any, by which it was registered is altered, or, if it was
registered without a name, when a name is given to it, the parent
or guardian of such child, or other person procuring such name to
be -altered or given, may, within 12 months next after the registra-
tion of the birth, make a declaration in writing before a registrar
according to forms 3 and 4 in the scheudle; whereupon that officer
shall, without any erasure of the previous entry, forthwith enter in
the register book the name mentioned in the declaration aforesaid,
and shall, on the application of the said parent or guardian or other
person aforesaid forthwith deliver to him a certificate according to
forms 5 and 6 in the schedule, for which a fee of one dollar shall be
charged.
(2) No such alteration or addition as that mentioned in this
section shall be made after the expiratlon of 12 months froin the
date of the registration of the birth, except on payment of a fee of
As bly No. 50 of 1911 , No. 1 of 1912 and 'No. 2 of 1912.
2 dollars : Provided that whenever is shown, to the satisfaction
of the Registrar, that owing to absence from the Colony or other
reasonable cause, the parent, guardian, or other person aforesaid
is unable to attend personally to make a declaration in writing in
accordance with this section, he may accept in lieu thereof a
statutory declaration or such other evidence as he may in the
circumstances deem sufficient, and may thereupon act in all respects
as if a declaration in writing had been made before him personally.
12.-(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 occupier of the house in which, to his know-
lege, tbe death took place, and, in deault of any Such persons,
of each inmate of such house, and of the person causing the body
of the deceased to the buried, to give, to the best of his knowledge
and belief, to a registrar, within 48 hours (in which General or
Public holidays as defined by Ordinance No. 5 of 1912 shall not
be included) after such death, information of the particulars
required to be registered concerning such death, and ill the presence
of that officer to sign the register.
(.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 knowledge 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 talsing charge of the body,
and of the person causing the body to be buried, to give to
the Magistrate within 48 hours (in which General or Public holidays
as defined by Ordinance No. 5 of 1912 shall not be included) after
the death or the finding, such information of the particulars,
required to be registered concerning the death as the informant
possesses, and such particulars shall be forthwith forwarded by the
said Magistrate to the Registrar, who shall duly register the same.
(3) After the expiratIon of 12, months after any death or after
the finding of any dead body eIsewhere than in a house, that death
shall not be regislered except with the consent of the Registrar and
on payment of a fee of 5 dollars ; the fact of such consent having
been given shall be entered in the register.
As amencled by No. 50 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912, No. 2 of 1912 ard
-,\o. 43 of 1012.
(4) Where an inquest is held on: any dead body, any Magistrate
shall inquire of the particillar required to be registered concerning
the death, and shall send to the Registrar within 7 days next after
the termination of the inquest, a certificate under his hand giving
information concerning the death and specifying the said particulars,
the cause of death, and the time and place at which the inquest
was held, and that officer shall enter the and death and particular in
the register. Where an inquest is held or any 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.
13-(1) No person, unless acting under the written sanction or
direction of the Registrar shall remove, or assist or attempt to
remove, or procure the removal of, or bury any dead body until a
certificatc, of death under the next has been issued, or in
order to bury has been obtained from any Magistrate. : Provided
always that where interment is urgent and it is not possible to
promptly 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 pollce station, when the inspector other
officer in charge shall issue forthwith a removal permit according
to form 7 in the schedule. The issue of sneh permit shall be forth
with reported to the Registrarby issuing officer, and shall not
exonerate the persons required by this Oudiliance to give informa-
tion, respecting the death of any person from giving the information
required.
(2) No person shall remove, or assist or attempt to remove, or
procure th e removal of a dead body from the Colony until he has
obtained from a registrar a certificate according to form 8 in the
Schedule.
14.-(1) A registrar, immediately on registering any death or as
soon thereafter as he 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, according to form 9 in
the schedule, that such death has been duly registered, and such
certificate shall be delivered by such undertaker or other person to
As ntnended hY 'No. 50 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912 and Nn. 2 of 1912.
As amended by30 of 1911. No. 30 of 1911, -No. 1 of 1912,
~\0. 2 of 1912 and :0. 21 of 1U12.
the minister or officiating person, if any, who is to perform any
religious service for the burial of the dead body : Provided always
that any Magistrate may order any body to be buried, if lie thinks
fit, before registration of the death, and shall in such case give a
certificale of his order in writing under his hand, according to form
10 in the Schedule, to the relative of the deceased or other person
who causes fhe body to be buried or to sneh undertaker or other
person having charge, of the funeral, and such certificate shall be
delivered by the recipient to such minister or officiating person as
aforesaid.
(2) Any person who performs any funeral or religious service for
the burial of any dead body without receiving either such certificate
duly made and delivered as aforesald or a permit to bury by an
Inspector or other officer ill charge of a police station, shall,
oil summary conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 50 dollars.
15. A porson shall nof wilfully bury or procure to be buried the
body of ally deceased child 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-
(1) a written certificate, according to form 11 in the schedule,
that, such child was not born alive, signed by a medical practitioner
who was in attendance at the birth or has examined the body of
such Child ; or
(2) a, declaration, according to form 12 in the schedule, signed
body of any decesed child as if the child had been born alive, have
been required by this Ordinance to give information concernin
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
(3) an order of any Magistrate.
16. Where 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 any still-born Child, the undertaker or other person who has
charge of the funeral shall deliver to the person who buries
or performs aily funeral or religious service for the burial of such
body or bodies notice in writing, signed by such undertaker or other
person, and staling, to (lie best of his knowledge and belief, with
As amelidul by No. 50 of .1911 and No, 1 of 1912.
As atlicii,-led by No. 50 of 1911.
respect, to each such body the following particulars, according to
forms 13, 14, and 15 in the schedule :-
(1) if the body is the body of a deceased person, the name, sex,
and place of abode of the said deceased person ;
(2) if the body has been found exposed, and the name and place
of abode are unknown, the fact of the body having been so found and
of the said particulars being unknown ; ancl,
(3) if the body is that, of a deceased child without a name or a,
still-born. child, the name and place of abode of the father, or, if it
is illegitimate, of the mother, of such child.
17. With respect to certificates of the cause of death, the following
provisions shall have effect:-
(1) the Registrar shall, on the application in writing of a medical
practitioner, furnish him with a book of printed forms of certificates
of death, according to form 16 in the schedule
(21) in case of the death of any person who has been attended
during his last, illness by a medical practitioner, lie 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 such person shall, on giving
information concerning the death, deliver that certificate to a
registrar ; and the cause of death as stated in that, certiflicate shall
be entered in the register;
(3) where an inquest is held on the body of any deceased person,
a medical certificate of the cause of death need not be given, but
the certificate of the finding furnished by any shall be
sufficient
(4) for the purpose of securing uniformity in the death returns,
the cause of death certified by a medical practitioner, or by any
medical officer in anv branch of His Majesty's Service, or by
any Magistrate shall, so far as possible, be described in strict accord-
ance with the nomenclature, of 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 certificate the cause of death
the manner provided by the next sub-section in any case in which
that officer is not satisfied that the reported cause of death is the
true cause ; and
AS EL,llended by X0. 50 of 1911, No. 51 of 1911, '\o. 1 of 1912 and
No. 2 of 1912.
(.5) in case of the death of any person who has not been attended
during his last illness by any medical practitioner, it shall be the
duty of a registrar, to whom information concerning the death is
given, to satisfy himself that the cause, of death stated by the
giving the information is the true cause, and, in every case in which
he is not satisfied in this regard, it shall be his duty to communicate
the particulars of the information received to the Principal Civil
Medical Officer or to some other medical officer appointed by the
Governor for that purpose, who, shall insititute or cause to be,
instituted immediate inquiries with a view to ascertaining the true
cause of death, and shall as soon as possible report the result to a
registrar.
18-(1) In the months of January, April, July, and October, on
such days as may be appointed by the Registrar, every assistant re-
gistrar shall make and send to that officer, on durable materials, a
true copy, certified by him under his hand, of all the entries
of births and deaths in the register books kept by hiln since. flie
last certificate, and the Registrar shall verify the same, and,
if found to be correct, shall, certity the same under his hand
to be a true copy ; and if there has been no birth. or death registered
since the deilvery of the last certificate, the assistant registrar shall
certify the fact, and such certificate shall be delivered to the Regis-
trar as aforesaid, and countersigned by him.
(.2) Every assistant registrar shall keep safely such register books
as may be placed under his control until each of the said register
books is filled, and shall then dcliver it, to tlie Registrar to be kept
by him with the records of flis office.
19. Every registrar who bas the keeping of any register book of
births or deaths shall, during recognised office hours, allow searches
to be niade therein, and shall give a copy, certified under his hand,
of any entry in the same on payment of the following fees: for
every search extending over a period not less than one year, 50
cents, and 2.5 cents for every additional year ; and 1 dollar for every
single certificate.
20.-(1) The Registrar shall cause indices of the register books
in his office. to be niade and kept with the other records of his office ;
* As amc,.nde(l by l\o. 1 of I1J12 and No. 2 of 1912.
The fee f~r certificates of birth or deuth in the e~1se of soldiers
has been reduced front 1 dollar to 10 cents by orders made
under Ordinance No, 5 of 1870, 8eo Bowley's lle,-ulatioiis of
llongkong 1910 pp. 176 and W3.
and every person shall be entitled, during recognised office hours,
to search the said indices and to have a certified copy of any entry
in the said register books under the hand of the Registrar on pay-
ment of the following fees : for every general seareb, 2 dollars,
and for every particular search, 50 cents, and for every certified
copy, 1 dollar.
(.2) In this spetion the term ---general search--- means a search
during any member of successive hours not exceeding 6, without
stating the object of the search; and the term ---particular search---
means a search over any period not exceeding 5 years for any given
entry.
21. 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 colpies of entries given in the said office; adn every certified
COPY Of an entry purporting to be sealed or stamped with the seal
of the said Office shall be received as evidence of the birth or death
to which the same relates, without any further or other poof of such
entry; and no certified copy purporting to be given in the said office purporting to be, g' en in the said office
shall be cf any force or effect which is not sealed or stamped as
aforesaid.
[s. 22, 9-ep. No. 1 of 1,912.]
23. Every person who wilfully makes or causes to be made, for
the purpose of being inserted in any register of births or deaths, any
false statement, touching any of the particulars herein required to be
known registered, shall be subject to the same penalties as if lie
had been guilty of perjury.
24. Every person -who,-
(1) being charged with the duty of registering births or deaths,
refuses or, without reasonable cause, omits to register any birth or
death of which he has had due notice as aforesaid ; or,
(2) 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 whilst in his keeping,
shall, on summary conviction, be liable to fine not exceeding 200
dollars.
25. Every person who---
As amended by 'I~o. 1 of 1912.
As amended b y No. 30 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912 and No. 21 of 1912.
As amended by No. 30 of 1911 and No. 2 of 19E.>.
(1) 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; or
(2) falsely makes or counterfeits, or causes to be falsely made or
counterfeited, any Part of any such register book or certified copy
thereof ; or
(3) wilfully inserts or caums to be inserted in any register book
or certified copy thereof, any false entry of any birth or death ; or
.(4) wilfully gives any false certificate ; or
(5) certifies any writing to be a copy or extract of any register
book, knowing the saine register to be false in any part thereof : or
(6) forges or counterfeits the seal of the Registrar's office,
shall be guilty of felony, and shall bc liable to imprisonment for
any term not exceeding 2 years.
[s. 26, rep. No. 1 of 1912]
27. With regard to the correction of errors in registers of births or
deaths, the following provisions shall have effect :-
(1) no alteration in any such register shall be made except as
authorised by this Ordinance;
(2) any clerical error which may be discovered in any such
register shall, as soon as possible be, corrected by the Registrar, who
shall Plae his initials in the margin opposite the entry in which
such error has been discovered
(3) 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 the, Registrar on payment of the fee of one
dollar and on production to Iiiin by the person requiring such error
to be corrected of a declaration, according to forin 17 in the
schedule, setting forth the nature of the error and the true facts
of the case, and nade by two persons required by this Ordinance 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 pensons 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
* As aiiieii(le(l by No. 50 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912 and No. 2 of 191-1),
(4) Wherean error of fact or substance. (other than an error
relating to the cause of death) occurs in the information given by
the certificate of a Magistrate concerning a dead body upon which
he has held an inquest, he may, if satisfied by evidence upon oath
or statutory declaration that such error exists, certify under his
hand to the Rcaistrar the nature of the error and the true facts of
the case as ascertained by him on such evidence, and 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.
28. Except where otherwise specially provided by this Ordinance,
every person who commits any breach or infringement of any of the
provisions contained in this Ordinance or fails to perform any duty
imposed upon him by this Ordinance shall, on summary conviction,
be liable to a fine not exceeding 1200 dollars.
29. It shall be lawful for the Governor-in - Council to make
regulations for the due carrying into effect of the provisions of
this Ordinance, and to revoke, alter, or add to the forms in
the schedule.
SCHEDULE
FORM No. 1.
Register Bank of
19 , Births in the District of hongkong
FORM No. 2.
Register Book of Deaths
19, Deaths in the District of hongkong
FoRm No. 3.
[s. 11.]
Declaration of True Name, of Child.
I, A.B., Parent [or guardian] of the child of one C.D., whose birth was registered
on the day of 19, do solemnly and sincerely declare that
the name by which such child was registered was wrong, and that the right name is
to which I desire to alter the name by which the said child was
originally registered.
Dated the day of ,19 .
(Signed.) A.B.,Parent [or Guardian.]
Before me,
(Signed.) Registrar
Fee $2, if alteration inade after 12 montlis after date of registration; otherwise
fee $1.
Form No. 4.
[S. 11.]
Declaration of Name of Child.
I, A.B., parent [or guardian] of the child of one C.D., whose birth was registered
on the day of 19, solemnly and sincerely declare that
the said child has received the name of and desire that these names shall
be added to the register.
Dated the day of , 19 .
(Signed.) A.B., Parent [or Guardian.]
Before me,
(Signed.) Registrar.
fee $2, if addition made after 12 months after date of registration; otherwise
Form No. 5.
Certificate of Registration of Alteration of Name
I, A.B., Regiistrar of Births and Deaths in the District of , do
hereby certify that the name [or names] of by which child of one
C.D. 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.,Registrar,(or Assistant Registrar.)
Fee $1 or $2.
Form No. 6. [S. 11.]
Certificate of Registration of Name of Child.
I, A.B., Registrar of Births and Deaths in the District of do
hereby certify that the name [or names] of has [or have] been given to
the child of one C.D. whose birth was registered oil 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.,Registrar, (or Assistant Registrar.)
Fee $1 or $2.
. * As amended by No. 2 of 1912.
Form No. 7. [S. 13.]
Permit for Removal of Dead Body.
Permission is hereby given to of to remove and bury the
dead body of one called from the floor of NO.
to
Dated tha day of , 19 .
(Signed.) Offlicer in Charge,
No. Police Station.
Form No. 8. [S. 13.]
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., Registrar, (or Assistant Registrar.)
Form NO. 9. [s. 14]
Certificate of Registration of Death.
1, A.B., Registrar of Births and Deaths in the District of
hereby certify that the death of
the day of , 19 .
Dated the day of , 19 .
(Signed.) .A.B.,Registrar, (or ,lssi8ta?it Registrar.)
Fomr No. 10. [s. 14.]
Order for Burial of Body.
1, A.B., Magistrate appointed to discharge the duties of Coroner for the Colony of
hongkong, do hereby order the burial of the body now shown [or reported] to me as
the body of
Dated the day of , 19 .
(Signed.) A.B., Magisterial Coroner.
FORM No. 11. [S. 15.]
Certificate of Still Birth.
I, A.B., registered medical practitioner in the Colony of honghong, hereby certify
that 1 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 No. 12. [S. 15.]
Declaration as to Still Birth.
1, 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 pre.
as amended by No. 2 of. 1012.
sent at the birth of the child of Mrs. G.D. which occurred on the day of
, 19, but that his certificate according to the Form No. 11 in the
Schedule to the Births and Deaths Registiation Ordinance, 1896, cannot be obtained, or
that the child of Mrs. C.D. which was born on the day of
was not born alive]
Dated the day of , 19 .
(signed) A.B., Legal Informant.
Before me,
(signed.) Justice Of the Peace.
Form No.13 [S. 16.]
Notice where coffin contains more than one Body.
I, A.B., hereby give you nobice 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 of , 19 .
(signed) A.B., Undertaker[or Person in Charge of Funeral.]
Before me,
(signed) Justice Of the Peace
Form No. 14. [S. 16.]
Notice where coffin contains more than one Body.
I, A.B., hereby give you nobice 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.]
Before me,
(signed) Justice Of the Peace
Form NO. 15. [s. 16.]
Notice where Coffin also contains the Body of a child.
1, A.B., hereby give you nofice that in fhe coffin in which C.D. is brought for burial
there is the body of a deceased child, name unknown [or 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.]
Before me,
(signed) Justice Of the Peace
* As amended by No. 2 of 1912.
Form No. 16.
Medical Certificateate of Cause of Death.
THE BIRTHS ANO DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE. 1896.
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
To be given by the Medical Attendant to the Person whose duty it is to give it, with information of the
Death, to the Registrar or an Assistant Beffistrarand TO NO OTHER PERSON.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that I attended during the last illness ; that Such Person's age was Stated to be
I last saw h on the day of 19 that he died* on the day of 19 , at
and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief the Cause of h Death was as hereunder written.
*Should the Medical attendant not feel justified in taking upon himself the
responsiblity of certifying the fact of death, he may here insert the words 'as I am
informed'.
The duration of eah form of Disease of Symptom is reckoned from its commencement until
death occurs.
[The informant should read the notice on the back of this form]
Dated the day of , 19 .
N.B.- This certificate is intended soley for the use of the registrar or an asistant registrar, to
whom it should be devlivered by the Person giving information to him of the particulars required by
law to be registered concerning the death pealty of $200 for neglect of informant to deliver this
certificate to the registrar or an assistant registrar.
The registrar of Births and Deaths contions all persons against accepting or using this certificate
for any purpose whatever except that of delivering it to himself or an assistant registrar.
The form is printed is amended by No. 2 of 1912 and No. 43 of 1912 Supp. Sched.
[S. 17.]
NOTICE
(to be indorsed on the back of the Certificate).
By section 17 of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1896, it is enactel
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 In-
formant of the Death a Certificate of the Cause of Death. The Informant is bound to
deliver the Certificate to Registrar of Births and Deaths or an Assistant Registrar.
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 48 hours (in which General
and Public Holidays as defined by Ordinance No.5 of 1912 shall not be included)
next following death is $200.
Informants must be prepared to state accurately to the Registrar of Births and Deaths
or an Assistant Registrar the following particulate:-
(1.) The date and place of Death;
(2.) The full name and surname od Deceased
(3.) The correct age of Deceased; and
(4.) The rank, profession, or occupation of Deceased. 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 No. 17. [s.27.]
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 registrated on the day of , 19 , the
following errors of fact or substance occurred in the registor, 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 act forth the true facts].
Dated the day of , 19 .
(signed.) A.B.
C.D.
Before me,
(Signed.) Justice of the Peace. Short title. Interpretation. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 48.] [ib.] [cf. No. 5 of 1888.] The Head of Sanitary Dept. to be Registrar of Births and Deaths. Establishment of district registers. Language of registers. Keeping and form of register book. Registration of births and deaths. Information respecting living new-born to be given to registrar. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 3.] Duty of parent or occupier to register birth within 42 days. [37 & 38 Vict.c.88 s. 1.] Registration of birth after expiration of 42 days. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 7.] [ib.s.6.] Registration of name of child or of alteration of name. [ib.s.8.] Information of death to be given in various case to registrar, etc. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 10.] [ib.s.11.] [ib.s.15.] [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 16.] Restrictions on removal of dead body. Issue of certificate of registration of death or of certificate of order for burial. Burial of deceased child as stili-born. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 18.] Notice where coffin contains more than one body. [ib.s.19.] Provisions as to certificates of cause of death. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 20.] Sending to Registrar of certified copies of district registers and of register books, when filled. Searches and certificates; fees. Indices and search thereof. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 42.] Sealing of certified copies. Punishment for giving false information. Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths. Punishment for destroying or falsifying register book. Correction of errors in register. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 36.] Punishment for infringement of the Ordinance. Regulations and forms.
To consolidate and amend the law relating to the Registration
of Births and Deaths. [11th August 1896.]
1. The Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1896.
2. In this Ordinance,-
House ' includes any building, structure, ship, steainer, beat,
or craft:
'Public instittition '' includes a prison, lock up, reformatory,
workhouse, lunatic asyluin, and hosplilal
'Occupier' includes the governor, keeper, master, manager,
director, matron, superintendent, or other chief resident officer of
every convent or public or charitable or religious institution, and,
where a house is let or sub-let in separate floors or rooms or com-
partments, includes any person residing in such house who either
receives or pays rent for such sepanite floors or rooms or compart-
ments. In cases where a whole house is occupied by any person,
without being let or sub-let as aforesaid, such person shall, whether
he is the owner or not, be deemed to be the 'occupier.'
'Magistrate ' means a discharging the duties of
Coroner.
3-(1) The office of the Sanitary Department shall be ' The
General Register Office ' for keeping a register of all births and
deaths which happen in the Colony.
The duties of registrar of Births and Deaths shall be
performed by the Head ofSanitary Department (hercinafter called
the Registrar), and any act which is aulhonsed or required by this
Ordinance to be, done by the Registrar may be done, by any officer
of theSanitary Department appointed in writing by the Registrar
for that purpose. Such officers shall bee styled 'Assistant Re-
gistrars and where any act is authorised or required by this
Ordinance to be done by ' a registrar ' it may be done by
the Registrar or by any Assistant Registrar.
4.-(1) District registers of births and deaths for Chinese shall
be kept at such police station as may be approved by the
Governor as register offices, and the officers in charge of such
As amended 1) n ~. (
y No. 50 of H)11, No. 1 of 1912 and N f 1912.
As amended by No. 2 of 1.912.
As ainended by No. 2 of 1912 and No. 3 of 1912.
stations and the principal clerk at everv Public Dispensary shall
be assistant registrars in respect of all births and deaths of Chinese
occurring within the districts, assigned by the Registrar under
section 7 (2), where such police stations are situate.
(2) Every Chinese by required by this Ordinance to give information
concerning a birth or n death shall give the information to the as-
sistant registrar of fine district in which the birth or death took
place, subject, in the case of a birth, to the. provisions of section 10
(3).
5. Realsters of births and deaths of Chinese shall be kept in both
the English and Chinese languages.
6.-(1) The Registrar shall cause, to be printed register books of
births and register books of deaths in the form 1 and 2 in the sche-
dule, which be shall supply to the assistant registrars.
(2) The books shall be of durable materials, and in them shall
be printed, upon each side of every leaf, the, heads of information
herein required to be registered of births and deaths respectively;
and every page of each book shall be numbered progressively from
the beginniner to the end, beginning with iminher one; and ever
place of entry shall be also numbered progressively from the begin-
ning to the end of the book beginning with number one, and every
entry shall be divided from the following entry by a printed line.
7-(1) Every assistant registrar is hereby required to inform
himself carefully of every birth and death which happens within
the district assigned to him by the Registrar, and to learn and
register, as soon after the event as conveniently be done,
without any fee, save as hereinafter mentioned, the particulars
required to be registered accorcling to the said forms respectively
touching every such birth or death which flas not been already
registered, every such entry being made in order from tbe beginning
to the end of the book.
(2) The Registrar shall assign districts to the assistant registrars,
and the limits of such districts shall be notifed in the Gazette.
8.-(1) 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
As aniended hy -No. 1, of 11)12.
As
y No. 50 of 1,911, X0. 1 of 1912 and No. 2 of 1912.
A.9 anionded b~7 No. 1. of 1912 Iiicl No. 2 of 1.912.
such finding to a registrar, and within 7 days to give, to the best of his
knowledge and belief, such information of the, particulars required to be
registered concerning the birth of such child as the informant possesses, and,
in the presence of! such registrar, to sign the register.
(2) In case any living new-born child is brought to and admitted into any
convent or public or charitable, or religious institution, it
shall be the duty of the person admitting such child, or
having charge of the convent or institution to ascertain, at the time
of admission, from the person bringing such child such information
of the particulars required to be registered concerning the birth of
such child as can be elicited, and if such child has been born in the
Colony, then, within 7 days after admission, to give such information
to a registrar.
9. 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 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 42 days after the day of such birth, give information to the
Registrar or the assistant registrar of the district within which such
birth may have occurred, according to the best of his or her know-
ledge and belief, of the several articulars required to be registered,
and shall, in the presence of the Registrar or such assistant registrar, sign
the register.
10-(1) In every case where the information required by this Ordinance is
given within 42 days of the birth of any child, exclusive of the day of birth, no
fee shall be required or paid for registering the said birth ; but when such
Information is given dter [lie expiration of the said 42 days and within 12
months after the said bidli, exclusive of the day of birth, a fee of one dollar
shall be paid by the person who is charged with the duty of giving information
concerning such birth. If no such information is given within 3 months after
the said birth, the person charged with the duty of giving such inforination
shall, on summary Conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 2.5 dollars.
Afler the expiration of 12 months next after the birth of ain child, that birth
shall not be
As aniended by No. 50 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912 and No. 2 of 191-~.
As ainended by --~o. J0 of 1911, 1 of ~912, No. ~~ of 1912
and
No. 21 of 11,112.
registered except with the consent of the Registrar, and the fact
of such consent having been given shall be entered in the register.
A fee of 5 dollars shall be nald in the nse of the registraton of the
birth of a child after the expiration of 12 months next after the
birth of Such child.
(2) Tn the case of (in illegitimate child, no person shall, as father
of sach child, be required to give information concerning the birth
of such child, and there shall nct 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.
(3) An person required by this Ordinance to give information
concerning a birth who removes, before such birth is registered,
out of the district in which such birth has taken place may, within
42 days after such birth, give the required information to the
Registrar or to the assistant, registrar of the district in which lie
resides, and shall, at the time of giving such information, sign the
registier in the presence of such officer.
11-(1) When the birth of any child has been registered and
the name, if any, by which it was registered is altered, or, if it was
registered without a name, when a name is given to it, the parent
or guardian of such child, or other person procuring such name to
be -altered or given, may, within 12 months next after the registra-
tion of the birth, make a declaration in writing before a registrar
according to forms 3 and 4 in the scheudle; whereupon that officer
shall, without any erasure of the previous entry, forthwith enter in
the register book the name mentioned in the declaration aforesaid,
and shall, on the application of the said parent or guardian or other
person aforesaid forthwith deliver to him a certificate according to
forms 5 and 6 in the schedule, for which a fee of one dollar shall be
charged.
(2) No such alteration or addition as that mentioned in this
section shall be made after the expiratlon of 12 months froin the
date of the registration of the birth, except on payment of a fee of
As bly No. 50 of 1911 , No. 1 of 1912 and 'No. 2 of 1912.
2 dollars : Provided that whenever is shown, to the satisfaction
of the Registrar, that owing to absence from the Colony or other
reasonable cause, the parent, guardian, or other person aforesaid
is unable to attend personally to make a declaration in writing in
accordance with this section, he may accept in lieu thereof a
statutory declaration or such other evidence as he may in the
circumstances deem sufficient, and may thereupon act in all respects
as if a declaration in writing had been made before him personally.
12.-(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 occupier of the house in which, to his know-
lege, tbe death took place, and, in deault of any Such persons,
of each inmate of such house, and of the person causing the body
of the deceased to the buried, to give, to the best of his knowledge
and belief, to a registrar, within 48 hours (in which General or
Public holidays as defined by Ordinance No. 5 of 1912 shall not
be included) after such death, information of the particulars
required to be registered concerning such death, and ill the presence
of that officer to sign the register.
(.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 knowledge 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 talsing charge of the body,
and of the person causing the body to be buried, to give to
the Magistrate within 48 hours (in which General or Public holidays
as defined by Ordinance No. 5 of 1912 shall not be included) after
the death or the finding, such information of the particulars,
required to be registered concerning the death as the informant
possesses, and such particulars shall be forthwith forwarded by the
said Magistrate to the Registrar, who shall duly register the same.
(3) After the expiratIon of 12, months after any death or after
the finding of any dead body eIsewhere than in a house, that death
shall not be regislered except with the consent of the Registrar and
on payment of a fee of 5 dollars ; the fact of such consent having
been given shall be entered in the register.
As amencled by No. 50 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912, No. 2 of 1912 ard
-,\o. 43 of 1012.
(4) Where an inquest is held on: any dead body, any Magistrate
shall inquire of the particillar required to be registered concerning
the death, and shall send to the Registrar within 7 days next after
the termination of the inquest, a certificate under his hand giving
information concerning the death and specifying the said particulars,
the cause of death, and the time and place at which the inquest
was held, and that officer shall enter the and death and particular in
the register. Where an inquest is held or any 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.
13-(1) No person, unless acting under the written sanction or
direction of the Registrar shall remove, or assist or attempt to
remove, or procure the removal of, or bury any dead body until a
certificatc, of death under the next has been issued, or in
order to bury has been obtained from any Magistrate. : Provided
always that where interment is urgent and it is not possible to
promptly 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 pollce station, when the inspector other
officer in charge shall issue forthwith a removal permit according
to form 7 in the schedule. The issue of sneh permit shall be forth
with reported to the Registrarby issuing officer, and shall not
exonerate the persons required by this Oudiliance to give informa-
tion, respecting the death of any person from giving the information
required.
(2) No person shall remove, or assist or attempt to remove, or
procure th e removal of a dead body from the Colony until he has
obtained from a registrar a certificate according to form 8 in the
Schedule.
14.-(1) A registrar, immediately on registering any death or as
soon thereafter as he 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, according to form 9 in
the schedule, that such death has been duly registered, and such
certificate shall be delivered by such undertaker or other person to
As ntnended hY 'No. 50 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912 and Nn. 2 of 1912.
As amended by30 of 1911. No. 30 of 1911, -No. 1 of 1912,
~\0. 2 of 1912 and :0. 21 of 1U12.
the minister or officiating person, if any, who is to perform any
religious service for the burial of the dead body : Provided always
that any Magistrate may order any body to be buried, if lie thinks
fit, before registration of the death, and shall in such case give a
certificale of his order in writing under his hand, according to form
10 in the Schedule, to the relative of the deceased or other person
who causes fhe body to be buried or to sneh undertaker or other
person having charge, of the funeral, and such certificate shall be
delivered by the recipient to such minister or officiating person as
aforesaid.
(2) Any person who performs any funeral or religious service for
the burial of any dead body without receiving either such certificate
duly made and delivered as aforesald or a permit to bury by an
Inspector or other officer ill charge of a police station, shall,
oil summary conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 50 dollars.
15. A porson shall nof wilfully bury or procure to be buried the
body of ally deceased child 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-
(1) a written certificate, according to form 11 in the schedule,
that, such child was not born alive, signed by a medical practitioner
who was in attendance at the birth or has examined the body of
such Child ; or
(2) a, declaration, according to form 12 in the schedule, signed
body of any decesed child as if the child had been born alive, have
been required by this Ordinance to give information concernin
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
(3) an order of any Magistrate.
16. Where 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 any still-born Child, the undertaker or other person who has
charge of the funeral shall deliver to the person who buries
or performs aily funeral or religious service for the burial of such
body or bodies notice in writing, signed by such undertaker or other
person, and staling, to (lie best of his knowledge and belief, with
As amelidul by No. 50 of .1911 and No, 1 of 1912.
As atlicii,-led by No. 50 of 1911.
respect, to each such body the following particulars, according to
forms 13, 14, and 15 in the schedule :-
(1) if the body is the body of a deceased person, the name, sex,
and place of abode of the said deceased person ;
(2) if the body has been found exposed, and the name and place
of abode are unknown, the fact of the body having been so found and
of the said particulars being unknown ; ancl,
(3) if the body is that, of a deceased child without a name or a,
still-born. child, the name and place of abode of the father, or, if it
is illegitimate, of the mother, of such child.
17. With respect to certificates of the cause of death, the following
provisions shall have effect:-
(1) the Registrar shall, on the application in writing of a medical
practitioner, furnish him with a book of printed forms of certificates
of death, according to form 16 in the schedule
(21) in case of the death of any person who has been attended
during his last, illness by a medical practitioner, lie 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 such person shall, on giving
information concerning the death, deliver that certificate to a
registrar ; and the cause of death as stated in that, certiflicate shall
be entered in the register;
(3) where an inquest is held on the body of any deceased person,
a medical certificate of the cause of death need not be given, but
the certificate of the finding furnished by any shall be
sufficient
(4) for the purpose of securing uniformity in the death returns,
the cause of death certified by a medical practitioner, or by any
medical officer in anv branch of His Majesty's Service, or by
any Magistrate shall, so far as possible, be described in strict accord-
ance with the nomenclature, of 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 certificate the cause of death
the manner provided by the next sub-section in any case in which
that officer is not satisfied that the reported cause of death is the
true cause ; and
AS EL,llended by X0. 50 of 1911, No. 51 of 1911, '\o. 1 of 1912 and
No. 2 of 1912.
(.5) in case of the death of any person who has not been attended
during his last illness by any medical practitioner, it shall be the
duty of a registrar, to whom information concerning the death is
given, to satisfy himself that the cause, of death stated by the
giving the information is the true cause, and, in every case in which
he is not satisfied in this regard, it shall be his duty to communicate
the particulars of the information received to the Principal Civil
Medical Officer or to some other medical officer appointed by the
Governor for that purpose, who, shall insititute or cause to be,
instituted immediate inquiries with a view to ascertaining the true
cause of death, and shall as soon as possible report the result to a
registrar.
18-(1) In the months of January, April, July, and October, on
such days as may be appointed by the Registrar, every assistant re-
gistrar shall make and send to that officer, on durable materials, a
true copy, certified by him under his hand, of all the entries
of births and deaths in the register books kept by hiln since. flie
last certificate, and the Registrar shall verify the same, and,
if found to be correct, shall, certity the same under his hand
to be a true copy ; and if there has been no birth. or death registered
since the deilvery of the last certificate, the assistant registrar shall
certify the fact, and such certificate shall be delivered to the Regis-
trar as aforesaid, and countersigned by him.
(.2) Every assistant registrar shall keep safely such register books
as may be placed under his control until each of the said register
books is filled, and shall then dcliver it, to tlie Registrar to be kept
by him with the records of flis office.
19. Every registrar who bas the keeping of any register book of
births or deaths shall, during recognised office hours, allow searches
to be niade therein, and shall give a copy, certified under his hand,
of any entry in the same on payment of the following fees: for
every search extending over a period not less than one year, 50
cents, and 2.5 cents for every additional year ; and 1 dollar for every
single certificate.
20.-(1) The Registrar shall cause indices of the register books
in his office. to be niade and kept with the other records of his office ;
* As amc,.nde(l by l\o. 1 of I1J12 and No. 2 of 1912.
The fee f~r certificates of birth or deuth in the e~1se of soldiers
has been reduced front 1 dollar to 10 cents by orders made
under Ordinance No, 5 of 1870, 8eo Bowley's lle,-ulatioiis of
llongkong 1910 pp. 176 and W3.
and every person shall be entitled, during recognised office hours,
to search the said indices and to have a certified copy of any entry
in the said register books under the hand of the Registrar on pay-
ment of the following fees : for every general seareb, 2 dollars,
and for every particular search, 50 cents, and for every certified
copy, 1 dollar.
(.2) In this spetion the term ---general search--- means a search
during any member of successive hours not exceeding 6, without
stating the object of the search; and the term ---particular search---
means a search over any period not exceeding 5 years for any given
entry.
21. 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 colpies of entries given in the said office; adn every certified
COPY Of an entry purporting to be sealed or stamped with the seal
of the said Office shall be received as evidence of the birth or death
to which the same relates, without any further or other poof of such
entry; and no certified copy purporting to be given in the said office purporting to be, g' en in the said office
shall be cf any force or effect which is not sealed or stamped as
aforesaid.
[s. 22, 9-ep. No. 1 of 1,912.]
23. Every person who wilfully makes or causes to be made, for
the purpose of being inserted in any register of births or deaths, any
false statement, touching any of the particulars herein required to be
known registered, shall be subject to the same penalties as if lie
had been guilty of perjury.
24. Every person -who,-
(1) being charged with the duty of registering births or deaths,
refuses or, without reasonable cause, omits to register any birth or
death of which he has had due notice as aforesaid ; or,
(2) 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 whilst in his keeping,
shall, on summary conviction, be liable to fine not exceeding 200
dollars.
25. Every person who---
As amended by 'I~o. 1 of 1912.
As amended b y No. 30 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912 and No. 21 of 1912.
As amended by No. 30 of 1911 and No. 2 of 19E.>.
(1) 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; or
(2) falsely makes or counterfeits, or causes to be falsely made or
counterfeited, any Part of any such register book or certified copy
thereof ; or
(3) wilfully inserts or caums to be inserted in any register book
or certified copy thereof, any false entry of any birth or death ; or
.(4) wilfully gives any false certificate ; or
(5) certifies any writing to be a copy or extract of any register
book, knowing the saine register to be false in any part thereof : or
(6) forges or counterfeits the seal of the Registrar's office,
shall be guilty of felony, and shall bc liable to imprisonment for
any term not exceeding 2 years.
[s. 26, rep. No. 1 of 1912]
27. With regard to the correction of errors in registers of births or
deaths, the following provisions shall have effect :-
(1) no alteration in any such register shall be made except as
authorised by this Ordinance;
(2) any clerical error which may be discovered in any such
register shall, as soon as possible be, corrected by the Registrar, who
shall Plae his initials in the margin opposite the entry in which
such error has been discovered
(3) 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 the, Registrar on payment of the fee of one
dollar and on production to Iiiin by the person requiring such error
to be corrected of a declaration, according to forin 17 in the
schedule, setting forth the nature of the error and the true facts
of the case, and nade by two persons required by this Ordinance 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 pensons 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
* As aiiieii(le(l by No. 50 of 1911, No. 1 of 1912 and No. 2 of 191-1),
(4) Wherean error of fact or substance. (other than an error
relating to the cause of death) occurs in the information given by
the certificate of a Magistrate concerning a dead body upon which
he has held an inquest, he may, if satisfied by evidence upon oath
or statutory declaration that such error exists, certify under his
hand to the Rcaistrar the nature of the error and the true facts of
the case as ascertained by him on such evidence, and 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.
28. Except where otherwise specially provided by this Ordinance,
every person who commits any breach or infringement of any of the
provisions contained in this Ordinance or fails to perform any duty
imposed upon him by this Ordinance shall, on summary conviction,
be liable to a fine not exceeding 1200 dollars.
29. It shall be lawful for the Governor-in - Council to make
regulations for the due carrying into effect of the provisions of
this Ordinance, and to revoke, alter, or add to the forms in
the schedule.
SCHEDULE
FORM No. 1.
Register Bank of
19 , Births in the District of hongkong
FORM No. 2.
Register Book of Deaths
19, Deaths in the District of hongkong
FoRm No. 3.
[s. 11.]
Declaration of True Name, of Child.
I, A.B., Parent [or guardian] of the child of one C.D., whose birth was registered
on the day of 19, do solemnly and sincerely declare that
the name by which such child was registered was wrong, and that the right name is
to which I desire to alter the name by which the said child was
originally registered.
Dated the day of ,19 .
(Signed.) A.B.,Parent [or Guardian.]
Before me,
(Signed.) Registrar
Fee $2, if alteration inade after 12 montlis after date of registration; otherwise
fee $1.
Form No. 4.
[S. 11.]
Declaration of Name of Child.
I, A.B., parent [or guardian] of the child of one C.D., whose birth was registered
on the day of 19, solemnly and sincerely declare that
the said child has received the name of and desire that these names shall
be added to the register.
Dated the day of , 19 .
(Signed.) A.B., Parent [or Guardian.]
Before me,
(Signed.) Registrar.
fee $2, if addition made after 12 months after date of registration; otherwise
Form No. 5.
Certificate of Registration of Alteration of Name
I, A.B., Regiistrar of Births and Deaths in the District of , do
hereby certify that the name [or names] of by which child of one
C.D. 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.,Registrar,(or Assistant Registrar.)
Fee $1 or $2.
Form No. 6. [S. 11.]
Certificate of Registration of Name of Child.
I, A.B., Registrar of Births and Deaths in the District of do
hereby certify that the name [or names] of has [or have] been given to
the child of one C.D. whose birth was registered oil 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.,Registrar, (or Assistant Registrar.)
Fee $1 or $2.
. * As amended by No. 2 of 1912.
Form No. 7. [S. 13.]
Permit for Removal of Dead Body.
Permission is hereby given to of to remove and bury the
dead body of one called from the floor of NO.
to
Dated tha day of , 19 .
(Signed.) Offlicer in Charge,
No. Police Station.
Form No. 8. [S. 13.]
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., Registrar, (or Assistant Registrar.)
Form NO. 9. [s. 14]
Certificate of Registration of Death.
1, A.B., Registrar of Births and Deaths in the District of
hereby certify that the death of
the day of , 19 .
Dated the day of , 19 .
(Signed.) .A.B.,Registrar, (or ,lssi8ta?it Registrar.)
Fomr No. 10. [s. 14.]
Order for Burial of Body.
1, A.B., Magistrate appointed to discharge the duties of Coroner for the Colony of
hongkong, do hereby order the burial of the body now shown [or reported] to me as
the body of
Dated the day of , 19 .
(Signed.) A.B., Magisterial Coroner.
FORM No. 11. [S. 15.]
Certificate of Still Birth.
I, A.B., registered medical practitioner in the Colony of honghong, hereby certify
that 1 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 No. 12. [S. 15.]
Declaration as to Still Birth.
1, 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 pre.
as amended by No. 2 of. 1012.
sent at the birth of the child of Mrs. G.D. which occurred on the day of
, 19, but that his certificate according to the Form No. 11 in the
Schedule to the Births and Deaths Registiation Ordinance, 1896, cannot be obtained, or
that the child of Mrs. C.D. which was born on the day of
was not born alive]
Dated the day of , 19 .
(signed) A.B., Legal Informant.
Before me,
(signed.) Justice Of the Peace.
Form No.13 [S. 16.]
Notice where coffin contains more than one Body.
I, A.B., hereby give you nobice 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 of , 19 .
(signed) A.B., Undertaker[or Person in Charge of Funeral.]
Before me,
(signed) Justice Of the Peace
Form No. 14. [S. 16.]
Notice where coffin contains more than one Body.
I, A.B., hereby give you nobice 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.]
Before me,
(signed) Justice Of the Peace
Form NO. 15. [s. 16.]
Notice where Coffin also contains the Body of a child.
1, A.B., hereby give you nofice that in fhe coffin in which C.D. is brought for burial
there is the body of a deceased child, name unknown [or 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.]
Before me,
(signed) Justice Of the Peace
* As amended by No. 2 of 1912.
Form No. 16.
Medical Certificateate of Cause of Death.
THE BIRTHS ANO DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE. 1896.
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
To be given by the Medical Attendant to the Person whose duty it is to give it, with information of the
Death, to the Registrar or an Assistant Beffistrarand TO NO OTHER PERSON.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that I attended during the last illness ; that Such Person's age was Stated to be
I last saw h on the day of 19 that he died* on the day of 19 , at
and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief the Cause of h Death was as hereunder written.
*Should the Medical attendant not feel justified in taking upon himself the
responsiblity of certifying the fact of death, he may here insert the words 'as I am
informed'.
The duration of eah form of Disease of Symptom is reckoned from its commencement until
death occurs.
[The informant should read the notice on the back of this form]
Dated the day of , 19 .
N.B.- This certificate is intended soley for the use of the registrar or an asistant registrar, to
whom it should be devlivered by the Person giving information to him of the particulars required by
law to be registered concerning the death pealty of $200 for neglect of informant to deliver this
certificate to the registrar or an assistant registrar.
The registrar of Births and Deaths contions all persons against accepting or using this certificate
for any purpose whatever except that of delivering it to himself or an assistant registrar.
The form is printed is amended by No. 2 of 1912 and No. 43 of 1912 Supp. Sched.
[S. 17.]
NOTICE
(to be indorsed on the back of the Certificate).
By section 17 of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1896, it is enactel
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 In-
formant of the Death a Certificate of the Cause of Death. The Informant is bound to
deliver the Certificate to Registrar of Births and Deaths or an Assistant Registrar.
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 48 hours (in which General
and Public Holidays as defined by Ordinance No.5 of 1912 shall not be included)
next following death is $200.
Informants must be prepared to state accurately to the Registrar of Births and Deaths
or an Assistant Registrar the following particulate:-
(1.) The date and place of Death;
(2.) The full name and surname od Deceased
(3.) The correct age of Deceased; and
(4.) The rank, profession, or occupation of Deceased. 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 No. 17. [s.27.]
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 registrated on the day of , 19 , the
following errors of fact or substance occurred in the registor, 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 act forth the true facts].
Dated the day of , 19 .
(signed.) A.B.
C.D.
Before me,
(Signed.) Justice of the Peace. Short title. Interpretation. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 48.] [ib.] [cf. No. 5 of 1888.] The Head of Sanitary Dept. to be Registrar of Births and Deaths. Establishment of district registers. Language of registers. Keeping and form of register book. Registration of births and deaths. Information respecting living new-born to be given to registrar. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 3.] Duty of parent or occupier to register birth within 42 days. [37 & 38 Vict.c.88 s. 1.] Registration of birth after expiration of 42 days. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 7.] [ib.s.6.] Registration of name of child or of alteration of name. [ib.s.8.] Information of death to be given in various case to registrar, etc. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 10.] [ib.s.11.] [ib.s.15.] [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 16.] Restrictions on removal of dead body. Issue of certificate of registration of death or of certificate of order for burial. Burial of deceased child as stili-born. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 18.] Notice where coffin contains more than one body. [ib.s.19.] Provisions as to certificates of cause of death. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 20.] Sending to Registrar of certified copies of district registers and of register books, when filled. Searches and certificates; fees. Indices and search thereof. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 42.] Sealing of certified copies. Punishment for giving false information. Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths. Punishment for destroying or falsifying register book. Correction of errors in register. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 36.] Punishment for infringement of the Ordinance. Regulations and forms.
Abstract
Short title. Interpretation. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 48.] [ib.] [cf. No. 5 of 1888.] The Head of Sanitary Dept. to be Registrar of Births and Deaths. Establishment of district registers. Language of registers. Keeping and form of register book. Registration of births and deaths. Information respecting living new-born to be given to registrar. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 3.] Duty of parent or occupier to register birth within 42 days. [37 & 38 Vict.c.88 s. 1.] Registration of birth after expiration of 42 days. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 7.] [ib.s.6.] Registration of name of child or of alteration of name. [ib.s.8.] Information of death to be given in various case to registrar, etc. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 10.] [ib.s.11.] [ib.s.15.] [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 16.] Restrictions on removal of dead body. Issue of certificate of registration of death or of certificate of order for burial. Burial of deceased child as stili-born. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 18.] Notice where coffin contains more than one body. [ib.s.19.] Provisions as to certificates of cause of death. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 20.] Sending to Registrar of certified copies of district registers and of register books, when filled. Searches and certificates; fees. Indices and search thereof. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 42.] Sealing of certified copies. Punishment for giving false information. Penalty for not duly registering births and deaths. Punishment for destroying or falsifying register book. Correction of errors in register. [37 & 38 Vict.c. 88 s. 36.] Punishment for infringement of the Ordinance. Regulations and forms.
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/885
Edition
1912
Volume
v1
Subsequent Cap No.
174
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 7 of 1896
Number of Pages
17
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, 1896,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed April 28, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/885.
