can be accessed more easily by the public. The work of putting all this material onto CD and entered into the library is likely to take some time, but I hope that most of the work will be complete by this time next year. Keep your eyes on the Newsletter for information on these developments as they are achieved!
The Society has been successful over the last year in attracting donations to the library of a significant number of important books on Hong Kong and the Far East, I would like to recommend this to you. Should any of you have books no longer of interest, please consider donating them to us. The executors of several recently deceased Members have chosen to donate some of their holdings of books on Hong Kong: this is also a practice which I would like to recommend to you all! Members should bear in mind that the library would be particularly interested in donations of books which may be seen as "out-of-date" but which would nevertheless have a historical interest - commercial reports, Government papers and so forth would certainly be of interest to us!
Friends of the Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong, in the United Kingdom
Members are, I am sure, well aware of the existence of the Friends in the United Kingdom. This body allows Members moving from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom to continue their interests in the culture and history of the Hong Kong area, as well as providing a social venue where they can continue to meet up with old friends who, like them, have moved from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom. I and my predecessors have, in the last several Annual General Meetings, urged all Members leaving Hong Kong for the United Kingdom to join the Friends, and I do so again now. As to what the Friends do, I will shortly read an Annual Report on their activities sent to us by the Chairman of the Friends, Mr David Gilkes.
Conclusion
I would like to conclude this Report by thanking all Members of the Society in general, and all Members of Council in particular, for their support of the Society during this past year, and for their friendliness and helpfulness to me personally at all times. I would also
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