constantly occurs. He should have sufficient assistance to allow all letters after being written up in Chinese to be checked before delivery.
11.
Complaints constantly crop up as to the non-delivery of local letters. In the case of the Peak and East and West Point deliveries, a record is kept, and the number of complaints has been very largely reduced in consequence, as the Postmen know that a strict watch is kept on them, and shirking is now difficult. To carry this out in the Town deliveries with the present staff is impossible, but if printed lists of each beat were prepared, and the number of letters for each address noted thereon, it would be practically impossible for a postman to escape discovery if letters were wrongly delivered or not delivered by him. This would remove from the Post Office the stigma at present attaching to it, which is such that Chairmen of Companies publicly announce that they dare not trust dividend warrants to the local post.
12.
Too much use has to be made of the Coolies in the Office without sufficient supervision, such as in date-stamping letters, giving them many opportunities for pilfering, and in clearing sorting pigeon-holes for delivery, allowing loopholes for mistakes.
13.
If the Post Office is ever to be efficient, it must have a better-educated and more intelligent Staff and should be strengthened in the weak points I have drawn attention to.
I have etc.,
(Sa.) L. A. M. Johnston,
Postmaster-General.