30
The additional post of Controller of Posts is required initially for the purpose of providing satisfactory leave relief arrangements for senior officers of the Department during the next eighteen months. The increasing volume of postal business in Kowloon and the New Territories is in any case approaching the point when an additional Controller will be required for the mainland. The present arrangement will therefore serve the dual purpose of solving the immediate leave relief difficulties and enabling the officer appointed to acquire the necessary local experience to enable him to fulfil his new duties efficiently.
107.
Increasing postal business necessitates the appointment of 3 Inspectors of Postmen in order to ensure that an efficient delivery service is maintained and an additional 19 Postmen to cope with the volume of work arising from general development and from the resettlement of squatters who now have postal addresses and are entitled to the normal delivery service. The enlarged Kowloon Post Office will need additional clerical staff in order to enable the best possible service to be given with the accommodation available, and this, together with the general increase in postal business, requires an increase of eight in the establishment of Postal Clerks. Four Motor Drivers are required for two Lister Trucks transferred from the Public Works Depart- ment during the year, and for two new vans which are proposed. The additional posts, together with revised salary scales, account for the increase of $435,334 in the vote for Personal Emoluments.
108.
Under Other Charges, the principal increase is in respect of conveyance of mails for which provision of $3,250,000 in excess of the 1954/55 estimate is made. This arises primarily from an underestimate of requirements in the current financial year and, to a lesser extent, from increased traffic and a growing tendency to use airmail rather than surface mail. Apart from sundry self-explanatory increases, the only other item worthy of mention is travelling expenses, which were underestimated in the current year. Taking this into account, together with the increasing activities of the Department, additional provision of $2,980 is considered necessary for this vote. The total increase in Other Charges is 3,405,480.
109.
Special Expenditure includes $2,500 in respect of a replacement for an existing duplicator which is worn out, $5,900 for indexing equipment to be used in connexion with post office boxes and staff records in order to increase efficiency, and $34,000 for two new delivery vans to enable an additional vehicle to be available on each side of the Harbour. These are justified by the increasing volume of postal traffic and the need to ensure more satisfactory arrangements for postal remittances.
110.
HEAD 24 — PRINTING DEPARTMENT
Estimate 1955/56
$1,946,400
Revised estimate 1954/55
1,394,000
Approved estimate 1954/55
1,500,041
Actual expenditure 1953/54
1,399,617
1954/55
1955/56
Difference
Permanent staff
Supernumerary staff
143
149
+6
1
1
The increase of 6 posts in the permanent establishment comprises:
2 Storekeepers Class III
2 Packers
2 Cleaners
6
111.
One Storekeeper is required to deal with publications, subscriptions and distribution work and the other is needed for handling printing stores generally. The volume of work in both categories has increased very considerably during the past three years. Packing of completed orders is at present done by bookbinders or messengers but increasing output makes it impossible for this unsatisfactory arrangement to continue. 2 posts of Packer have been included in the Estimates accordingly. The 2 Cleaners will be necessary for cleaning the new Government Printing Workshops. The existing establishment of 25 Bookbinders Class III has been merged with the establishment of Bookbinders Class II under the salaries revision, giving a total
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