MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1978
4,000 ID CARDS DESTROYED EACH YEAR DUE TO FAILURE IN TRACING HOLDERS
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AN AVERAGE OF 4,000 IDENTITY CARDS ARE BURNT EACH YEAR BY THE GOVERNMENT DUE TO THE FAILURE IN TRACING THEIR OWNERS.
THESE ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE LOST IDENTITY CARDS FOUND EACH YEAR BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND HANDED OVER TO THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE.
THE WASTAGE IS CAUSED BY THE OWNERS OF THESE ID CARDS WHO FAIL TO REPORT THE CHANGE OF THEIR ADDRESSES TO THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE.
COMMENTING ON THIS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE SAID MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG STILL FAIL TO RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING OUR OFFICE INFORMED OF ANY CHANGE OF THEIR PERSONAL PARTICULARS, ESPECIALLY THEIR ADDRESSES.
+THIS NOT ONLY CAUSES OUR STAFF TO SPEND A CONSIDERABLE TIME IN CHECKING THE RECORDS IF THE CARD WAS LOST, BUT ALSO GREAT INCONVENIENCE TO THE HOLDER WHEN HE APPLIES FOR A REPLACEMENT, + HE ADDED.
EXPLAINING THE PROCEDURE IN TRACING THE HOLDER OF A LOST ID CARD, THE SPOKESMAN SAID: AN OFFICER FIRST CHECKS THE RECORDS THEN SENDS A NOTICE TO THE LAST KNOWN ADDRESS OF THE HOLDER.+
+MORE FOLLOW-UP NOTICES WOULD BE SERVED IF HE FAILS TO RECLAIM IT.
+BUT IF THERE IS STILL NO RESPONSE AFTER THREE MONTHS, THE CARD WOULD BE CANCELLED AND DESTROYED IN AN INCINERATOR, HE ADDED.
THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT APPLICATIONS FOR REPLACEMENT CARDS HAD INCREASED FROM 20,000 IN 1975/76 TO 23,000 IN 1976/77. AND THE FIGURE FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS FINANCIAL YEAR WAS 13,651.
HE ALSO REVEALED THAT THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE HAD A TOTAL OF 4.2 MILLION IDENTITY CARDS IN CIRCULATION, OF THESE, 1.25 MILLION ARE THE NEW-TYPE IDENTITY CARDS ISSUED SINCE 1973.
IN ADDITION, ABOUT 250,000 OLD-TYPE JUVENILE IDENTITY CARDS ARE DUE TO BE PHASED OUT THIS YEAR BY THE NEW-TYPE IDENTITY CARDS.