TECHNICAL AUDIT
Chief Technical Examiner:
D. M. HARDING, F.R.I.C.S., F.I.Q.S., A.I.Arb.
P. FRENCH, A.R.I.C.S. (Acting 1.6.72-22.11.72)
2.52 The sixth year of this Unit was one of change in direction. Routine Audit of the Department's construction contracts and procedures continued only up to November, when a policy change substantially replaced Audit by a programme of Investigations and Reports on Selective Audit Studies covering any matter within the Department which relates to the effective use of the Department's resources of staff, equipment and money. However, routine audit of contracts was to continue as well but on a small scale.
2.53 A Programme of Work for T.A.U. was agreed and a start was made on the Reports. One on 'Financial Status of Contractors' is under way.
2.54 Recruitment exercises for overseas professional staff continued, resulting in one Technical Examiner arriving in November. This offset the departure of one Technical Examiner who returned to his U.K. Home Establishment (D.O.E.).
2.55 The vacancies for professional staff in the Unit therefore remained at 25% throughout the year.
EXECUTIVE UNIT-METRICATION
Metrication Officer:
D. NEWBURY
Introduction
2.56 H.E. the Governor established a Metrication Committee on 15th May, 1970, representative of Government and the private sector.
2.57 The Committee's terms of reference required it to consider the implications for Hong Kong of the increasing world-wide use of the metric system, to advise the Governor on the necessity and timing of a change to the metric system in the different sectors of the economy including Government and to guide and keep progress under review and to make recommendations on such legislation as might be necessary.
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