REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES is an improvement intro duced in modern times, 'and ingrafted on the law and social customs of the United Kingdom for the purpose of keeping an exact account of important facts connected with the population of the country and its social progress. In 'England the first act for this purpose was passed in 1836, and a general registry-Office was provided in London (at Somerset house) for England and Wales. But even before the new arrangement there had been long in operatibn an ecclesiastical mode of registration of marriages, baptisms, and burials in connection with each parish church, the officiating minister being required to keep such a register. By that act, which still retains its force as to baptisms and barials, registers of public and private baptisms, and burials solemnized according to the rites of the Established church in any parish or chapelry, are to be kept, and entries made by the minister within seven clays at most 'after the ceremony. These registers are to be transmitted annually to the registrar of the diocese, who keeps the same and allows inspection on payment of certain fees—severe penalties hieing incurred by any one who forges or injures the register. This mode of registration was found to be insufficient for statistical purposes, for it was confined only to births and deaths so far as the ceremonies of the church extended; and hence a systematic plan was instituted in 1836 by the acts 6 and 7 Will. IV. c. 85, 86, which have been since amended by sub sequent acts. The head of the office is the regisirar-general. Every poor-law union throughout the country was subdivided into districts for the purposes of the acts. In each district a registrar, locally resident, is appointed, and a superintendent registrar in put over these.-1. As reza•dS bfrtIrit. it is the duty of the registrar to inform himself of every birth that takes place in his district, and to record the particulars without fee Gi reward except such as the net authorizes him to take. The forms of the register-books are all settled by the act of parliament, and include a statement of the date of birth, name (if any), sex; name and surname of the father, and name and maiden surname of the mother; rank or profession of the father; signature, description, and residence of the informant; date of registration; signature of registrar; and baptismal name of child, if added after registration. It is not incumbent on the parent or occupier of the house
where the child is born to give information; but upon being requested to do so, they ale bound, within forty-two days after the birth, to give the particulars touching the birth to the registrar. In case of foundlings, alive or dead, and children born in workhouses, jails, etc., the overseers, coroner, master or jailer, respectively, must give such particu lars. No fee is payable by the parent, etc., who gives information within the forty-two days. After that period any person .present at the birth, or the father or guardian, may, within six months, make a solemn declaration as to the truth of the particulars, and require the particulars to be registered; but he must pay a fee of 7s. 6d., unless the delay was not occasioned by the party's fault. If registration is required to be made after forty-two days, and within six months, except as now stated, the party incurs a penalty of 1'50. After six months from the birth the registrar is not allowed to register the birth, under a penalty of £50, unless the child was born at sea.
2. Marreage8.—With regard to marriages which are performed in the Established church, every officiating clergyman is required, immediately after the office of matri mony solemnized by him, to register in duplicate the marriage according to a form prescribed by the statute, and one of the duplicates is to be forwarded to the sunerin tendent-registrar. The form states the date of marriage; the name and surname of each of the parties; the age as to minority; condition as to previous marriage; rank or pro fession; residence of each at the time of the marriage; and the name, surname, and rank or profession of the father of each of the parties. Every marriage in England which does not take place in a parish church or chapelry of the Established church must take place dither in a registered building—and most of the chapels of dissenters are so registered—or in the office of the superintendent-registrar. In the two latter cases it is necessary that the registrar be present in the registered building at the time, or that the superntendent-registrar be present in his office at the time with witnesses. In such cases the registrar or superintendent-registrar himself registers the marriage so cele brated.