XN000022-1984-10-11 — Page 2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1984

PRINTING DEPARTMENT STAFF PRAISED FOR EFFICIENCY

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THE ACTING GOVERNOR SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, VISITING THE PRINTING DEPARTMENT TODAY (THURSDAY), PAID TRIBUTE TO STAFF FOR THE IR HARD WORK IN MEETING PUBLIC DEMAND FOR THE WHITE PAPER ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE.

HE SAID HE WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S HIGH EFFICIENCY IN PRODUCING MORE THAN 2.7 MILLION COPIES OF THE WHITE PAPER IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.

SIR PHILIP WAS MET ON ARRIVAL BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER, MR HARRIS MYERS AND THE CHIEF PRINTING SUPER INTENDENT, MR DAVID PEARCE.

THE PRINTING DEPARTMENT WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE EARLY 1950S AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALL PRINTING AND CONVERTED PAPER STATIONERY REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENT INCLUDING FORMS, FILES, FOLDERS, BOOKLETS, TICKETS, POSTERS, BOOKS AND ENVELOPES.

MOST OF THESE ITEMS ARE PRODUCED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN ITS 5 779-SQUARE-METRE PREMISES IN NORTH POINT. SOME ITEMS OF A SPECIAL NATURE ARE PURCHASED FROM LOCAL COMPANIES.

MR MYERS TOLD SIR PHILIP THAT THE DEPARTMENT HANDLED 3 886 TONNES OF PAPER AND BOARD IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR, ALMOST 14

PRINTING EXPENDITURE PER CENT UP OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. TOTALLED $67 MILLION.

SIR PHILIP LATER TOURED VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT INCLUDING THE IDENTITY CARD UNIT AND THE SECURITY SECTION WHERE A LARGE VOLUME OF SECURITY DOCUMENTS IS HANDLED.

MR MYERS SAID OVER TWO MILLION NEW IDENTITY CARDS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED SO FAR.

DURING THE TOUR, SIR PHILIP SAW A WIDE RANGE OF NEW MACHINERY AND WAS BRIEFED ON THEIR DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS. HE WAS ALSO SHOWN THE LATEST PRINTING PROCESSES AND TECHNIQUES INCLUDING COMPUTERISED ENGLISH LANGUAGE TYPESETTING.

EXPENDITURE FOR THE COMPUTER ISATION OF THE CHINESE TYPESETTING SYSTEM HAS ALSO BEEN APPROVED, MR MYERS SAID.

TO ENSURE THAT CRAFTSMEN AND TECHNICIANS ARE FULLY COMPETENT, SUPPLEMENTARY IN-HOUSE TRAINING IS PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND APPRENTICES ARE ALSO SENT TO THE KWUN TONG TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR DAY-RELEASE TRAINING, HE SAID.

SIR PHILIP WAS ALSO BRIEFED ON PLANS TO RE-HOUSE THE DEPARTMENT IN MORE SUITABLE PREMISES IN MAY, 1985 SO AS TO ACCOMMODATE ALL STORAGE AND TO PROVIDE A MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE.

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