THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1984
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SIR PHILIP LOOKS INTO HK HISTORY
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THE DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TODAY (THURSDAY) TOOK A DETAILED LOOK AT HONG KONG'S EARLY HISTORY WHEN HE VISITED THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE IN CENTRAL.
THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE OF HONG KONG LIFE HELD BY THE OFFICE DATES BACK TO 1841, THE GOVERNMENT ARCHIVIST, MR IAN DIAMOND, TOLD SIR PHILIP.
THE SERIES OF RECORDS OF PRE-WAR SIGNIFICANCE WHICH SURVIVED THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION INCLUDE BONDS EXECUTED BY INDIVIDUALS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF CONTRACTS AND SERVICES, COURT RECORDS OF WILLS SUBMITTED FOR PROBATE IN THE SUPREME COURT, JUDGES' NOTE BOOKS AND ADMINISTRATION BONDS.
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST BELONGING TO THE 1840'S INCLUDE RECORDS RELATING TO LAND MATTERS SUCH AS CROWN RENT ROLLS, CROWN LEASE REGISTERS AND SURRENDERED TITLE DEEDS.
THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE COLLECTION WAS ENRICHED BY THE TRANSFER OF RECORDS FROM PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS AND AMONG THESE ARE MARRIAGE, BIRTH AND BURIAL REGISTERS SUBMITTED BY ST. JOHN'S CATHEDRAL, MR DIAMOND ADDED.
MANY OF THE DOCUMENTS OR MAPS TRANSFERRED ARE IN A POOR STATE OF REPAIR AND THE DOCUMENT REPAIR SECTION RESTORES THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR REFERENCE, HE SAID.
SIR PHILIP LATER VISITED THE DEPOSITORY WHERE RECORDS TO BE RETAINED PERMANENTLY ARE KEPT UNDER STRICT TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONTROL AND PROTECTED BY AN AUTOMATIC FIRE PREVENTION SYSTEM.
THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE ALSO RUNS TWO SUB-OFFICES IN ABERDEEN FOR PERMANENT AS WELL AS SEMI-ACTIVE RECORDS, MR DIAMOND SAID.
A REFERENCE LIBRARY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR STAFF AND PUBLIC USE, WITH EMPHASIS ON A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF HONG KONG'S OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.
PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE AND FREQUENTLY USED REFERENCE SOURCES IS THE NEWSPAPER COLLECTION CONSISTING OF FILES OF LOCAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPERS, DATING FROM 1842, MR DIAMOND SAID,
BEFORE CONCLUDING HIS TOUR, SIR PHILIP VISITED THE PHOTO-COPYING UNIT WHERE RECORDS CONSIDERED SUITABLE FOR RETENTION AND STORAGE ARE MICROFILMED.
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