XN000022-1978-02-09 — Page 3

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1978

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PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE *****

A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN FLEW THOUSANDS OF MILES FROM LOS ANGELES TO HONG KONG LAST SUMMER FOR ONE PURPOSE TO VISIT TWO BUILDINGS, ONE OF THEM LONG DEMOLISHED.

SHE WANTED TO PHOTOGRAPH ST. PETER'S CHURCH, THE CHAPEL OF SAILORS HOME IN WESTERN, AND A POLICE STATION IN QUEEN'S ROAD EAST BOTH WERE BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 19TH CENTURY,

THE CHURCH IN WESTERN WAS THE PLACE WHERE HER GRANDPARENTS WERE MARRIED IN 1896, AND THE WAN CHAI POLICE STATION WAS WHERE HER GRANDMOTHER ONCE LIVED.

IN ANOTHER CASE, RELATIVES IN AUSTRALIA OF TWO SERVICEMEN WHO DIED IN THE BATTLE FOR HONG KONG IN 1941, WROTE TO A FRIEND

IN HONG KONG INQUIRING ABOUT THE IR GRAVES.

BUT WHERE COULD ONE GO FOR HELP IN TRACING THE HISTORY OF THESE CASES?

THIS IS WHERE THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE COMES IN. THANKS TO IT, THE WOMAN WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE TWO PLACES WHERE NOW STANDS THE WESTERN POLICE STATION AND THE WAN CHAI POST OFFICE, AND THE SERVICEMEN'S RELATIVES FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TWO SOLDIERS.

DOCUMENTS IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE SHOW THAT THE SOLDIERS DIED IN AN ATTACK ON A REPULSE BAY HOUSE +OVERBAY+ BESEIGED BY JAPANESE ARMY ON DECEMBER 22, 1941. THEIR NAMES ARE RECORDED IN THE SAI WAN WAR MEMORIAL.

LOCATED AT THE MURRAY ROAD MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK, THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE IS THE CENTRE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE GOVERNMENT RECORDS. IT IS HEADED BY MR. IAN DIAMOND, THE ARCHIVIST.

MR. DIAMOND SAID RECORDS THAT ARE OVER 30 YEARS OLD COULD MSUALLY BE INSPECTED BY THE PUBLIC.

+BUT, THERE IS NO HARD AND FAST RULE REGARDING THIS MATTER AND THERE ARE RECORDS OVER 30 YEARS OLD WHICH ARE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC+ WE ADDED.

THE OFFICE WAS SET UP IN 1972 AND IS PREPARING POR EXPANSION TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING WORKLOAD.

MR. DIAMOND SAID ALL THE SHELVES IN THE OFFICE ARE FULL.

BEFORE THE SETTING UP OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE, GOVERNMENT RECORDS WERE KEPT SEPARATELY BY INDIVIDUAL DÉPARTMENTS.

MR. DIAMOND SAID: THE ADVANTAGE OF THE OFFICE IS TO HAVE ALL THE GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS WHICH ARE NO LONGER IN CURRENT USE PUT UNDER ONE ROOF, SO THAT TRAINED OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT CAN DECIDE WHICH OF THESE ARE OF PERMANENT VALUE AND WHICH, WITH DEPARTMENTAL AGREEMENT, CAN BE THROWN AWAY.+

/+RECORDS