HISTORY
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and polyclinics. A second medical school was opened during 1982 as a faculty of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
During the post-war years, a comprehensive system of protection for wages, rest days, statutory holidays, paid annual leave, maternity leave, sick pay and severance payments has been built up, and the benefits provided have steadily improved. The minimum age for employment in both the industrial and non-industrial sectors is 15 years.
To keep pace with this development and a policy of decentralisation, the government is committed to improving the infrastructure and an estimated $6,700 million, about 19 per cent of expenditure, is being spent on public works projects during 1982-3. New roads, tunnels and flyovers have completely transformed road travel throughout the territory in the post-war era and modern, multi-lane highways are opening up many new areas.
The major transport events of 1982 were the completion of the underground Mass Transit Railway system to the growing industrial town of Tsuen Wan and the opening of the Kowloon-Canton Railway's electrified inner suburban service between Kowloon and Sha Tin. Construction of an MTR Island line is underway and this is scheduled to be mostly completed by mid-1985.
A successful era in the governing of Hong Kong was concluded in 1982 with the retirement of Sir Murray MacLehose, Hong Kong's longest serving Governor and Commander-in-Chief, after a term of office of nearly 11 years. Created a life baron on
now known as Lord MacLehose of Beoch January 1, 1982, Sir Murray MacLehose
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was succeeded by Sir Edward Youde. Sir Edward, who assumed office in May, is the territory's 26th Governor.
Public Records Office
A major source of information for research into the history of Hong Kong since the establishment of British administration is the Public Records Office, set up in 1972 as the central repository for the permanent archives of the Hong Kong Government.
The main repository, with more than 5 500 metres of shelving for historical data, is in Central District, while a sub-office in Aberdeen has space for more than 3 700 linear metres of records. During the year, premises in Wong Chuk Hang were located for an additional repository with a storage capacity for 4 500 linear metres of intermediate records.
Several additions were made to the photograph and map collections during the year. The office also acquired an early lithograph depicting the north side of Hong Kong Island. Public access to the library, which includes the newspaper, map and photograph collec- tions, is unrestricted, but formal approval is required for access to the official archives.