XN000022-1976-02-14 — Page 2

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1976

1.6 M ENQUIRIES HANDLED LAST YEAR

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THE 22 PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRES OPERATED BY THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT IN THE URBAN AREA HANDLED NEARLY 1.6 MILLION ENQUIRIES AND CASES IN 1975.

ENQUIRIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT (124,665 CASES), THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT (78,286 CASES), THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT (65,425 CASES) AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT (58,596 CASES) CONTINUED TO BE THE MOST POPULAR SUBJECTS.

ENQUIRIES CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC HOUSING (28,908 CASES) AND SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANTS (27,229 CASES) WERE ALSO VERY POPULAR.

THE DEMAND FOR VARIOUS GOVERNMENT FORMS AND PAMPHLETS ALSO INCREASED, FROM 670,100 IN 1974 TO 1975'S 694,231.

MOST OF THE REQUIRED FORMS WERE FOR APPLICATION OF GOVERNMENT VACANCIES, GOVERNMENT HOUSING ESTATES, RENT INCREASES AND ENROLMENT FOR THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES,

LEAFLETS AND BOOKLETS CONCERNING FUNCTIONS AND PROCEDURES

OF ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WERE ALSO IN GREAT DEMAND.

APART FROM HANDLING ENQUIRIES AND SOLVING PROBLEMS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRES IN THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICES AND THEIR SUB-OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE URBAN AREA ADMINISTER STATUTORY DECLARATIONS, DISTRIBUTE MANY NON- GOVERNMENT PAMPHLETS AND SELL SOME OF THE POPULAR GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

MOST OF THESE PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRES REMAIN OPEN DURING LUNCH-HOUR FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO CANNOT MAKE USE OF THE SERVICE DURING OFFICE HOURS.

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