XN000022-1978-02-15 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1978

MEANS TO SPEED UP PUBLIC SEARCHES IN LAND OFFICE

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, SAID TODAY THE REGISTRAR GENERAL WAS EXAMINING THE INTRODUCTION OF A SYSTEM OF MICROFILMING OF RECORDS, WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN MORE EFFICIENT SEARCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC

IN THE LAND OFFICE.

HE SAID THE REGISTRAR GENERAL HAD DISCUSSED HIS IDEAS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LAW SOCIETY OF HONG KONG AND HOPED TO SUBMIT A FORMAL REPORT ON THE MATTER TO THE GOVERNMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

MR. JONES WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. LEUNG TAT- SHING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE STEPS BEING TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO MINIMISE DELAYS TO PEOPLE MAKING SEARCHES IN THE LAND OFFICE.

MR. JONES SAID THE AVERAGE TIME TAKEN FOR A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO MAKE A SEARCH IN THE LAND OFFICE, IF THE DOCUMENT WAS AVAILABLE, WAS BETWEEN FIVE AND 30 MINUTES DEPENDING UPON THE NATURE OF THE DOCUMENT AND THE TIME OF DAY IN WHICH THE SEARCH WAS MADE.

+MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TEND TO CONCENTRATE THEIR SEARCHES BETWEEN THE PEAK HOURS OF 10 A.M. UNTIL NOON AND BETWEEN 2.30 P.M. AND 4 P.M. AND THIS CAN OCCASIONALLY CAUSE DELAYS IN MAKING RECORDS AVAILABLE,+ HE ADDED.

MR. JONES SAID, SOME DELAYS WERE ALSO CAUSED BECAUSE THE LAND OFFICE WAS SPLIT BETWEEN THREE PREMISES AND THE SEPARATION OF RECORDS SOMETIMES MEANT THAT A SEARCHER HAD TO MAKE TWO JOURNEYS,

+THIS IS CLEARLY UNSATISFACTORY AND EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO RELOCATE THE WHOLE OF THE LAND OFFICE AND CERTAIN OTHER PARTS OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT IN ONE BUILDING,+ HE SAID.

MR. JONES ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SHORTAGE OF STAFF IN THE DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST DUE TO THE RAPID INCREASE IN RECENT YEARS IN THE NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS LODGED FOR REGISTRATION, AND THIS HAD CAUSED DELAYS BOTH IN REGISTRATION AND IN SEARCHING.

+BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE POSITION HAS NOW CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED AND THAT MORE STAFF ARE IN PLACE, HE ADDED.

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