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Memorandum on the Administration of the Estates of Deceased
European Officers in the service of the Government of
Hong Kong
1. By Section 64 of the Probates Ordinance, 1897, as
enacted by the Probates Amendment Ordinance, 1933, special
provisions are made for the administration of the estates of
subordinate police and prison officers, i.e. police officers
not above the rank of Sub-Inspector and prison officers not
above the rank of Principal Warder.
The Inspector General of Police and the Superintendent of
Prisons respectively are statutory administrators of the
estates of such officers and are required to administer without
legal formality and to pay over the balance of the estate to
the Colonial Treasurer, who may be ordered to pay the whole
or part of such balance to such person or persons as appear to
the Colonial Secretary to be entitled thereto.
On the death of an officer who is not in either of
the above categories the Official Administrator takes
possession of the property of the deceased in the Colony,
unless there is in the Colony an executor or person entitled
to apply for the grant of letters of administration.
After taking possession the Official Administrator
communicates with the person whose name has been given by the
deceased as that of the individual to whom intimation is to
be given in case of his serious illness or death and with any
other members of the family of the deceased whose names appear
in the personal file of the deceased and who may appear to be
entitled to grant of representation to or to participate in
the distribution of the estate.
Detailed instructions are given to such persons as to
the procedure to be followed for obtaining probate or
administration