CO129-544-15 Administration of estates of deceased European officers 13-7-1933 - 13-7-1933 — Page 4

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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