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to be recruited from officers of the Colonial Postal Service. As a consequence of these changes, the post of Cadet Officer Class II is no longer required and the former post of Assistant Postmaster General and Chicf Accountant has been down-graded. Apart from changes in the personnel of Women Confidential Assistants, involving the substitution of a Senior Woman Confidential Assistant and a Woman Confidential Assistant Class I for two Woman Confidential Assistants Class II, the only other changes are the transfer of three posts from the defunct Telecommunications Branch. These are a Lines Sub-Engineer whose post is being abolished, an Assistant Wireless Technician and a Coolie. There has been an increase of 25 Postal Clerks in the temporary staff which was authorized during the year to cope with the increasing volume of mail handled by this Department. The increase in total emoluments amounts to $82,639.
The large volume of mail handled by Hong Kong is also reflected in the increase in rocurrent expenditure of
2,521,450. Of this amount $2,500,000 represents the increased cost of conveying mails but this extra expenditure is off-set by corresponding revenue. An extra $20,000 is required for stores and equipment to provide lead seals and mail bags for the extra mails. Apart from these two sub-heads the remaining items are practically unchanged.
A small increase of 24,700 is recorded for Special Expenditure. of this 18,200 is in respect of motor transport and the balance for Post Office boxes.
The total increase under this Head is 32,628,789.
Head 25. Prisons Department.
Estimate 1951/52.
Revised Estimate 1950/51. Approved Estimate 1950/51. Actual Expenditure 1949/50.
$4,208,575
3,933,580
4,268,341 3,360,026
The 1950 establishment of the Prisons Department included a number of posts for a prison labour camp. This project has now been indefinitely postponed and it has been consequently possible to reduce a number of posts. These include one Chief Officer, two Principal Officers, four Prison Officers, one Chief Warder, ten Principal Warders, and 93 Warders. As only token provisions were made for these posts the reduction in personal emoluments is comparatively small and amounts to $64,266. The remaining changes concern chiefly the transfer of posts from the non-pensionable to the pensionable establishment, and regradings and promotions. of the latter the hospital warder staff is now absorbed in the general establishment and twelve Leaders are regraded as Assistant Principal Leaders. Two Warders have also been regraded as Telephone Operators but eleven extra Warders are provided.
Recurrent expenditure is slightly higher by $54,500. Of this increase, $30,000 is required for fuel, light and power, $20,000 for stores and equipment, and $1,500 for publications. There is a saving of $2,000 on uniforms.
It has been necessary to re-vote $45,000 out of the previous year's provision of 95,000 for items of Special Expenditure.
#59,766.
The total expenditure on this Head is lower by
201