sentences:  includes civil marriages performed by government "Registry Office" officials, total civil marriages went from 17.92% in 1974 to 46.7% in 1996
  The main problem was the fixed fee which, strictly interpreted by Attorney-General’s Department ultimately led to a serious decline in standards from which the program has never fully recovered.Once the pioneer celebrants became diluted with new appointments idealism was only sustained by the minority.Attitudes developed with many celebrants which turned out to be very destructive.