CO129-545-4 Request to write off the value of cash and stamps stolen from General Post office... 26-10-1933 - 20-12-1933 — Page 7

COPY.

2nd Assistant Auditor, Hong Kong to Acting Auditor.

7

Aink

*

Querid in (1) 33793/30

14 m. 33793/

Acting Auditor,

26th September, 1933.

In accordance with your instructions, I visited the Post

Office accompanied by Mr. Barton of the Treasury and examined

the stamp imprests in charge of ten Postal shroffs.

resultant findings are attached here to and have been agreed to

by Mr. Barton on behalf of the Treasury, and the total short-

age of $1,589.09 accepted by the Postmaster General.

The

2. It is difficult to refrain from adverse comment

upon the system employed for the provision of security against

theft. The facts show that the safe was opened by the burglar

with the original key or a duplicate thereof, and on enquiry

as to the provisions made for safe custody the following facts

were elicited. The shroffs place their locked receptacles at

close of business in this safe, the last shroff to do so is

required, to lock the safe and hand the key to Mr. Tam Sik

Hung the second Senior Mail Clerk. This latter officer

before closing up for the day places this safe key in a wooden

cupboard situated in the strong room used for locking up

This cupboard contains various

letters awaiting despatch.

other keys as well. The mail clerk having locked up the

offices, proceeds with a Chinese detective to search the

building so as to be assured that no one is secreted on the

premises. The strong room being locked and the general office

closed, the mail clerk (Tam Sik Hung) delivers the key of the

strong room personally to the Mail Superintendent, Mr. Hynes,

at his private residence. Every morning this mail clerk

calls at the Superintendent's house shortly after 6 a.m.

and opens up the office, and at 7.45 a.m. the shroffs arrive.

The key of the shroffs' safe is taken from the cupboard and

the mail clerk opens the safe and the shroffs remove their

locked