Appendix R.
REPORT ON THE GENERAL POST OFFICE, HONGKONG, FOR THE YEAR 1917.
1.-STAFF.
There were many changes in the Staff during the year.
Mr. E. D. C. Wolfe, who had been Postmaster General since 1913, was promoted to First Police Magistrate on the 1st February.
Mr. S. B. C. Ross was appointed in his stead and assumed his duties on the 16th April.
Mr. E. W. Hamilton acted as Assistant Postmaster General until the 14th April when he was transferred to the Southern District Office and the post of Assistant Postmaster General remained vacant for the remainder of the year.
Mr. J. H. Cooper who had been acting as Superintendent of the Registration and Parcels Branches rejoined his regiment on the 1st January and his post remained vacant during the year. Mr. T. Hynes the Superintendent of Mails acted as Superintendent of the Registration and Parcels Branch in addition to his other duties.
Mr. P. A. V. Remedios, First Grade Clerk, resigned and was granted his pension after 29 years service in the Post Office, and Mr. R. Gutierrez, First Grade Clerk, after 35 years service retired on a well-merited pension.
During the year four clerks were transferred to other Government Departments, eight resigned, one was invalided, and one was dismissed.
2.-MAILS.
The number of mail bags and packets despatched from Hongkong during the year amounted to 123,691 as against 123,238 in 1916, an increase of 453; and the number received to 116,047 as against 115,678, an increase of 369.
The number of mail bags and packets sent in transit through the Colony amounted to 69,540 as against 68,335 in 1916, an increase of 1,205.
Boxes and Baskets in transit amounted to 12,192 as against 11,203 in 1916, or 989 more than in 1916.
4,415 steamers carrying mails arrived and 5,693 left in 1917 as against 4,023 and 5,253 respectively in 1916.
Full details appear in Table I.