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Officer, New Territories, to meet reasonable expenses incurred by village representatives in placing their time at the disposal of the Government and recommends an increase of $1,680 in the provision for Incidental expenses to cover disbursements of this
nature.
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POLICE FORCE
(a)
The Acting Commissioner of Police appeared before the Committee and explained a number of proposals, all of which were endorsed. These proposals are as follows:-
the regrading of three posts of Superintendent as Senior Superintendent;
(b)
the amalgamation of the existing scales and establishments of Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent;
(c)
the revision of the ratios between various ranks of non-commissioned officers and police constables;
(d)
the addition of 300 new posts of police constables;
(e)
HEAD 24
the provision of an additional $89,500 for Motor Transport under Special Expenditure.
POST OFFICE
The Committee notes the inclusion of a post of Wireless Telegraphist previously omitted in error.
HEAD 27 PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE
The Public Relations Officer explained to members of the Committee his proposals for re-organizing the Public Relations Office and Broadcasting. The plans for Broadcasting were not sufficiently advanced to be considered in detail and it was agreed that specific proposals should be presented to Finance Committee early in the new financial year.
The Committee endorses the proposals for re-organizing the Public Relations Office. These involve the creation of two new posts of Sub-Editors, two posts of Women Confidential Assistants, one post of librarian, and one post of Woman Clerk. In addition it is necessary to provide for a temporary Assistant Public Relations Officer for five months to relicve an officer on leave. A number of menial posts is not required.
The provisions for recurrent expenditure require considerable revision. and a total expenditure of $64,220 is proposed in place of the previous figure of $46,940. As it is not proposed in the next financial year to tackle the problem of film propaganda, the provision of $40,000 for cinema equipment can be deleted.
The Committee recommends the transfer of a Messenger from the Public Relations Office to Broadcasting and the provision of $1,200 for Cleaning of offices.
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· PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
The Committee recommends a number of amendments under Personal Emoluments to accord with authorized staff changes which have occurred since the draft estimates were originally prepared. These involve the transfer of some posts from daily-paid staff and the provision for Casual labour can be reduced, as a result of this transfer and other economies, from $2,009,000 to $1,635,800.
The Committee supports the following other amendments