SUNDAY, MAY 15, 1977
+THEY WERE THEN FITTED TOGETHER LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE, ONLY THAT THE AMOUNT OF PATIENCE AND SKILL PUT INTO THE WORK WAS MANY TIMES MORE DEMANDING.
+TO BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB WELL, THE TECHNICIANS HAVE TO KNOW THE SHRINKAGE RATE OF THE PAPERS USED AND MUST BE ABLE TO MATCH THE GRAIN OF THE DIFFERENT FRAGMENTS.
+ THE FINISHED WORK WAS THEN REMOUNTED ON LINEN AND COVERED BY A LAYER OF TRANSPARENT SILK GAUZE WHICH PREVENTS FLAKING AND CRACKING AND HELPS TO PROTECT THE SURFACE.
THE RESTORED MAP IS NOW KEPT IN THE MAIN STORE ROOM OF THE OFFICE AT A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 18 DEGREES CELSIUS AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY OF 60 PER CENT.
+ IF THE HUMIDITY IS TOO LOW, THE PAPER WILL BECOME BRITTLE, BUT IF IT IS TOO HIGH, IT WILL TURN SOFT AND BECOME MOULDY, + MR. DIAMOND ADDED.
ALSO KEPT IN THE SPECIAL STORE-ROOM ARE OTHER TESTIMONY OF HONG KONG'S EARLIER DAYS WHEN LIFE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WERE MUCH SIMPLER.
ONE OF THE OLDEST IS A LETTER BOOK OF THE FIRST POLICE MAGISTRATE, DATED 1844-46, WHICH CONTAINS CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN HIM AND THE THEN COLONIAL SECRETARY ON VARIOUS MATTERS INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A POLICE FORCE IN HONG KONG,
THE ARCHIVES OF ST. JOHN'S CATHEDRAL ARE ALSO KEPT THERE FOR POSTERITY. THESE ARE INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY INCLUDE A MARRIAGE REGISTER OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN MACAU, DATED 1838, WHICH WAS LATER TRANSFERRED WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS TO HONG KONG.
+RECORDS ARE NOT ACCEPTED BY THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE FOR SAFE-KEEPING JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE OLD, + MR. DIAMOND POINTED OUT.
+DOCUMENTS ARE SELECTED FOR PRESERVATION ONLY IF THEY MEET CERTA IN VALUE CRITERIA. +
REFERRING TO THE RECENTLY RESTORED MAP, HE SAID IT WAS NOT ONLY AN ACCURATE AND UNIQUE RECORD OF THE DISTANT PAST BUT ALSO THE OLDEST ORIGINAL MAP THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE HAD IN ITS POSSESSION.
TEMPORARY STREET CLOSURE
*****
THE CUL DE SAC OF CHI MAN STREET IN HO MAN TIN WILL BE CLOSED TO ALL VEHICLES WITH EFFECT FROM 10 A.M. ON TUESDAY (MAY 17), THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE CLOSURE WOULD BE FOR A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS TO ALLOW SITE FORMATION WORKS THERE.
APPROPRIATE TRAFFIC SIGNS WILL BE ERECTED TO GUIDE MOTORISTS.
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