XN000022-1978-01-09 — Page 8

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MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 1978

BUSIEST CHRISTMAS FOR POST OFFICE

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THE POST OFFICE LAST MONTH EXPERIENCED THE BUSIEST CHRISTMAS

IN THE 12 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS ABOUT 19 MILLION LETTERS WERE POSTED - TWO MILLION MORE THAN THAT IN THE SAME PERIOD OF THE PREVIOUS CHRISTMAS.

SENIOR CONTROLLER OF POSTS, MR. ARTHUR DICKSON, COMMENTED : +THIS IS EQUAL TO A PILE OF LETTERS THIRTY TIMES THE HEIGHT OF VICTORIA PEAK.+

INCOMING MAIL WAS AT AN ALL TIME RECORD TOO WITH 18 CONTAINERS OF SURFACE MAIL, AND 70 TONS OF LETTERS ARRIVING BY AIR FOR DELIVERY DURING THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD.

+SOME AIRMAIL FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM WAS DELAYED

DUE TO FOG AT LONDON AIRPORT BUT IT FINALLY ARRIVED JUST IN TIME FOR DELIVERY BEFORE CHRISTMAS, + MR. DICKSON SAID.

HE ADDED : +OUR SORTERS AND POSTMEN HAVE DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB IN HANDLING THIS LARGE QUANTITY OF MA IL EFFICIENTLY AND DELIVERY ING IT IN GOOD TIME.+

WARNING AGAINST BOGUS LABOUR OFFICERS ******

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. M.C. LAO, TODAY AGAIN WARNED FACTORY OWNERS TO BE ON GUARD AGAINST BOGUS LABOUR DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS.

HE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM FACTORY PROPRIETORS OF A MAN IMPERSONATING AN OFFICER OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, AND WHO THREATENED TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THEM UNLESS HE WAS PAID A SUM OF MONEY.

THE IMPERSONATOR, CALLING HIMSELF INSPECTOR CHAN KWOK-WAH OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, WAS IN HIS LATE TWENTIES, AND ABOUT 5 FT 7 IN TALL.

+NO OFFICER OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN AUTHORISED TO ASK FOR OR ACCEPT MONEY FROM THE PUBLIC.+ MR. LAO STRESSED.

+MEMBERS OF THE INSPECTORATE HAVE WITH THEM GOVERNMENT IDENTITY CARDS AND WARRANTS WHICH CARRY THE PHOTOGRAPH AND NAME OF THE HOLDER. THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES BY PRODUCING THEIR WARRANTS WHEN VISITING FACTORIES.+

MR. LAO ADVISED FACTORY PROPRIETORS TO CHECK THE IDENTITY OF VISITORS CLAIMING TO BE LABOUR DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS AND NOTIFY THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY IF THEY ARE IN DOUBT. WHEN THEY FEEL CERTAIN THAT THEIR OWN SAFETY WILL NOT BE ENDANGERED, THEY SHOULD TRY, IF POSSIBLE, TO DELAY THE DEPARTURE OF SUCH SUSPECTED PERSONS PENDING THE ARRIVAL OF THE POLICE.

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