COPY
Memorandum on the Administration of the Estates of Deceased
persons other than officers in the service of the Government
of Hong Kong.
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1. On the death of any person the Official Administrator
is entitled to take possession of the property of the deceased
in the Colony and does so, 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 relatives of the deceased and any person
who may appear to be entitled to grant of representation to
or to participate in the distribution of the estate.
2. Detailed instructions are given to such persons as to
the procedure to be followed for obtaining probate or
administration in the Colony or the re-scaling in the Colony
of a grant made elsewhere.
Where there is undue delay in obtaining representation
and also in the case of small estates, if the relatives so
desire, the Official Administrator applies for the grant of
letters of administration to himself and in such event winds
up the estate and remits the balance to those entitled thereto.
Pending application for grant of representation to the
Official Administrator or any other person the Official
Administrator takes such steps as are necessary for the
7.
protection of the estate and usually pays the funeral expenses.
In order to avoid deterioration caused by heat and
humidity clothing and other articles of a perishable nature
are sold immediately by auction, as also are bulky articles
the cost of shipment of which would be disproportionate to
their value.
Articles of a personal nature are retained so that the
relatives may express their wishes as to their disposal.
4.