HISTORY
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18 per cent of expenditure, is being spent on public works projects during 1984-5. 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 development of Hong Kong's economic base has enabled the government to increase spending on social services over the years - from $2,697 million in 1974-5 to an estimated $19,113 million in 1984–5.
Accommodation has always been a problem with a rapidly growing population and expenditure in this field has increased accordingly. More than 2.4 million people now live in some form of public housing managed by the Housing Authority. Throughout 1984, public housing flats were being constructed at an average rate of almost 100 flats per day, throughout the year and it is planned to continue providing about 35 000 flats a year
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under present conditions.
Expenditure on education facilities and improvements for Hong Kong's young and vibrant population has always been one of the major considerations in budget preparations and there are now junior secondary school places for every student up to the age of 15 years.
In the field of social welfare, major advances have been made by both the government and voluntary agencies in the past decade with expenditure increasing from $251 million in 1974-5 to an estimated of $2,078 million during 1984-5.
The medical and health services are also undergoing vigorous development programmes which, by the end of the decade, will provide five more hospitals and 20 additional clinics and polyclinics.
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
Public Records Office
years.
Set up in 1972, the Public Records Office is now one of the largest local sources of information for historical and other studies relating to Hong Kong. The office currently manages some 9 000 linear metres of official records, approximately 2 000 photographs and an extensive collection of maps, local newspapers and official publications.
The Public Records Office provides a records management service to government departments and makes material available for reference and research to both local and overseas scholars, journalists, students, and members of the public. Records which are to be retained permanently are held at the head office in Central and at one of the two sub-offices in Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen. Semi-active records, many of which will eventually be destroyed, are stored in the second sub-office.
The increasing awareness of Hong Kong internationally has resulted in a growth over the past year in the number of reference enquiries received by the Public Records Office and in the numbers of individuals conducting research on source materials held. In addition to the publication of several books based on these materials, records have been used in the production of television documentaries, films, exhibitions and articles for various news- papers and periodicals.
Public access to the library, including the newspaper, map and photograph collections, is unrestricted, but formal approval is required for access to official records. Photocopying, microfilming and reading room facilities are available.