and have entailed the continuous moving of sections from one point to another.
6. Considerable assistance was given during the year by the Com- missioner of Police in the delivery of mail to the many islands of Hong Kong but with the increasing demand for postal services in these islands urgent consideration will have to be given to relieving the Commissioner of this commitment.
7. During the year a very detailed examination was made of all shipping available resulting in many cases in the formation of the new direct despatches detailed in this report, the cutting down of the transmission time to many destinations and a saving of conveyance charges.
8. The Universal Postal Convention, including the Parcel Conven- tion, drawn up at Ottawa in 1957 and coming into effect on 1st April, 1959 was received during the year and was closely studied to ensure that all necessary alterations in regulations, rates and forms were brought into effect by the due date,
9. The stamp vending machines continued to be popular and additional machines were installed. A total of nearly one million ten cent stamps were issued through them during the year.
10. The world wide stamp design competition for the new stamps to be issued in 1962 was concluded; the most successful competitor being a local entrant.
11.
The Telecommunications Section of the Post Office continued to be active during the year but the increase in commitments in this field and the increasing complexity of communications both local and international necessitates an expansion of the section. Additional staff is also required to deal with radio interference and holders of un- licensed radio receivers and will be recruited early in the new financial year.
12. Statistics of the department's activities will be found in the tables at the end of the report.
STAFF
13. The total authorized establishment of the Department at the close of the year was 868; an increase over the preceding year of 81 posts. 313 of these posts are pensionable. 861 of the posts were filled by local officers and 7 by expatriate officers.
14. As will be seen in later paragraphs revenue exceeded the estimated total by a very considerable amount and although expenditure
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