Post_Office_1971-1972 — Page 9

Staff Consultation

11. The Post Office Staff Forum continued to serve as the main staff consultation body in the Department. Regular monthly meetings were held and various topics discussed concerning improvements in working conditions for the staff and improvements in standards of service to the public.

Staff Training

12. One Assistant Controller of Posts Class II attended a training course in the United Kingdom during the period September 1971 to February 1972.

13. One Assistant Telecommunications Engineer left Hong Kong on 22nd January, 1972, to attend a three-month I.T.U. Training Course in the field of Satellite Communications in Ahmedabad, India.

14. The Post Office Training School held 5 six-week courses during the year for newly recruited Postal Officers.

Temporary Staff

15. To assist in the handling of mail during the Christmas pressure period 80 Temporary Clerks and 140 casual labourers were engaged.

FINANCE

16. Revenue collected by the Department amounted to $167,071,240, an increase of $6,701,142 or 4.2% over the preceding year.

17. Expenditure during the year amounted to $95,432,022, an in- crease of $1,852,734 or approximately 2% over the previous year. This was mainly due to salary awards effective from 1st April, 1971.

18. The sales of duty stamps amounting to $5,546,507 were 4.4% less than sales in 1970-71. Postage stamps and meter impressions utilized to pay the fees on Certificates of Origin totalled $3,909,955, a decrease of $843,315 as compared with the previous year.

19. Payments made for telephone services provided for Government Departments amounted to $3,809,797, some $275,000 more than in the preceding year.

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