ENG-1983 — Page 334

HISTORY

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In the field of social welfare, major advances have been made by both the government and voluntary agencies in the past decade with expenditure increasing from $137 million in 1973-4 to an estimated $1,682 million during 1983–4.

The medical and health services are also undergoing vigorous development programmes which, by the end of the decade, will provide five more hospitals and 20 additional clinics and polyclinics.

During the post-war years, a comprehensive system of protection for wages, rest days, statutory holidays, paid annual leave, maternity leave, sick pay and severance payments has been built up, and the benefits provided have steadily improved. The minimum age for employment in both the industrial and non-industrial sectors is 15

years.

Public Records Office

Set up in 1972, the Public Records Office is now one of the largest local sources of information for historical and other studies relating to Hong Kong.

Storage for 4 670 linear metres of permanent records is provided in the head office repository in Central District and for a further 3 950 linear metres in a sub-office in Wong Chuk Hang. In 1983, a second sub-office in Wong Chuk Hang was opened, providing storage for 4 900 linear metres of intermediate departmental records which require further screening before selection for permanent retention.

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Valuable additions were made to the photograph and map collections during the year, including some 630 photographs taken in the early 1900s and copies of more than 70 maps and plans from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Public Records Office now has the largest collections of pre-war maps and photographs in Hong Kong.

Public access to the library, including the newspapers and the map and photograph collections, is unrestricted, but formal approval is required for access to official records. Photo-copying facilities are available.

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