Estimates-1960 — Page 191

191

Postal

New posts are required to provide improved local services such as an Air Mail Centre at Kai Tak, new Post Offices and a "Mobile" Post Office service for outlying districts.

Wireless Division

The Wireless section needs to be expanded to cope with the increasing complex communications problems, both local and international, caused by the rapid development of new techniques. Additional staff is required to deal with the problems of radio interference and unlicensed wireless receivers; the increasing number of ships wireless surveys, examinations for the Postmaster General's and radar certificates, and applications for the import and export of technical equipment.

HEAD 23 - PRINTING DEPARTMENT

Estimate 1959/60

$3,242,900

Revised estimate 1958/59

2,865,000

Approved estimate 1958/59

Actual expenditure 1957/58

2,585,900

2,339,554

Permanent staff

Net increase

New posts

1958/59

188

1959/60

Difference

230

+ 42

42

1 Proof Reader

2 Clerks

2 Storekeepers

2 Lithographers Class I (1*)

1 Copy Holder

5 Bookbinders Class 1

9 Bookbinders Class II

6 Lithographers Class II (3*)

1 Office/Workshop Assistant

2 Apprentices

4 Messengers

6 Packers (2*)

1 Coolie

42

k

Approved by Special Warrant during the year.

The staff increases are necessitated by the great increase in the volume of printing and book- binding for Government departments. The new posts and normal increments for existing staff account for the increase of $130,000 under Personal Emoluments.

The same considerations have caused an increase of over $300,000 in Other Charges Annually Recurrent, where a new item "Training of printing staff" has also been created in the Administration subhead to provide for a planned programme of training in order to obtain a higher standard of production.

Under Special Expenditure, provisions for 2 Linotypes and 2 Proof Presses are included as replacements for existing equipment which have reached the end of their useful lives. The accounting machines consist of 1 Hollerith Key Punch and 1 Hollerith Verifier for mechanical accounting utilizing Hollerith equipment to be installed in the Stores Department. The Fork Truck is required for the rapid transfer of paper stocks and printed matter from one operation to the next. Graining machines are required for the efficient re-graining of offset plates. An additional Guillotine is required for the cutting of increased quantities of paper and an additional offset printing press is required to deal with the larger quantities of paper to be printed. The Ink Mixer is required for the rapid and consistent mixing of coloured inks. A Heavy Duty Wire Stitcher is required to stitch books of a thickness beyond the scope of existing wire stitchers.