XN000022-1977-06-17 — Page 5

FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1977

RECORD PRODUCTION BY PRINTING DEPARTMENT

******

DESPITE THE LOSS OF SOME OF ITS HIGH CALIBRE STAFF AND RESTRICTIONS CAUSED BY THE TWO YEARS OF RECESSION, THE PRINTING DEPARTMENT HAS ACHIEVED AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD IN PRODUCTION OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS FROM 1974 TO 1977,

IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1976-77, THE PAPER THROUGHPUT REACHED A RECORD 2,358 TONS WITH A STAFF STRENGTH OF 396, COMPARED WITH 1,890 TONS IN 1974-75 WHEN THE DEPARTMENT HAD 413 STAFF.

THE WORKLOAD OF THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN INCREASING AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF NINE PER CENT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS ALTHOUGH THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS IMPOSED AS A RESULT OF WORLD-WIDE RECESSION, CAUSED A MOMENTARY DROP IN INPUT DURING 1975-76.

A NUMBER OF FACTORS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCREASE, SUCH AS THE GROWING DEMAND FOR THE USE OF COLOUR IN GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS, WHICH MORE THAN DOUBLED IN 1976-77 OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND THE RISE IN IN-PLANT PRODUCTIVITY AS A RESULT OF THE DROP IN VALUE OF CONTRACTS PLACED OUTSIDE.

THIS VALUE IN 1976-77 PLUNGED TO $1.7 MILLION COMPARED WITH $7.9 MILLION IN 1973-74.

+THOUGH THERE WAS AN EVER INCREASING WORKLOAD, IT WAS HANDLED MORE EFFECTIVELY DUE TO BETTER DIRECTION, RATIONALISATION OF PRODUCT WHEREVER POSSIBLE, MORE SKILFUL UTILISATION OF RESOURCES AND A SPLENDID RESPONSE FROM THE TOTAL WORKFORCE, + A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED.

A PRODUCTION CONTROL UNIT WAS SET UP IN LATE 1974 TO TAKE CARE OF THE PLANNING AND SPECIFYING OF ALL INCOMING WORK, OPTIMUM UTILISATION OF RESOURCES, CO-ORDINATION AND DIRECTION OF THE THREE MAIN PRODUCTION DIVISIONS, COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF PRODUCTION DATA, AND QUALITY CONTROL.

BUT APART FROM THE NATURAL WASTAGE OF STAFF TURNOVER AND THE LOSS OF A NUMBER OF ITS TOP NOTCH OFFICERS TO OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THE SEVERE SHORTAGE OF SPACE IS THE MOST INHIBITING PROBLEM THAT THE DEPARTMENT FACED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT SATURATION POINT WAS REACHED MANY YEARS AGO AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO SEEK EXTERNAL STORAGE FACILITIES.

AREA.

THE CONTINUING RISE IN PRODUCTIVITY REQUIRING A GREATER THROUGHPUT OF PAPER, CALLED FOR A LARGER MARSHALLING AREA FOR BULK PAPER STORAGE, A LARGER CUTTING-TO-SIZE WORKING AREA, A LARGER SPACE FOR WORK IN PROGRESS AND A GREATER HOLDING AREA FOR PACKED WORK AWAITING DELIVERY.

/AS TO THE