Brought forward
Increase $15 lodging allowance to Senior Clerk $5424
180 Do. $30 to Supt. Reg. Branch & lodging alce. $15 540
Do. $36 to Supt Money Order Office 432
must be added nearly X $6576
exity salaries of existi ? made
In 1898 the revenue of the Post Office was $480,047.00
working expenses were $337,179.99
transit charges subsidies &c. were $182,730.47 $58,831.05
Profit $95,618.47
Total $337,179.99
The estimated loss on penny postage for 1899 is $30,000.
The profit may therefore be estimated at $40,000 further reduce, if a contented and efficient staff is to be constituted, to $54,000. I sincerely trust that my recommendation as to increases will be acceded to. I have only been in charge two months but in that time I have come to the conclusion that radical changes must be effected if the Hongkong Post Office is to become an efficient and satisfactory Department.
I would welcome any committee of enquiry only I don't know how any committee could make thorough enquiry into the working of this office unless they were prepared to spend 10 or 12 hours a day here for a month or months stretch. I have spent two; and have an immense amount to learn.
I respectfully record it however as my conviction that the Department is starved as regards men and material