1967-1968 — Page 19

There was an increase of 70 from the previous year.

9 officers retired during the year after serving in the Railway for periods ranging from 16 to 35 years.

56. Mr. CHOI Yat-how, Assistant Traffic Controller, left the Colony on 13th April, 1967, to undertake a Railway Traffic Apprentice Course with British Railways for 14 months.

STAFF WELFARE

57. The earned leave granted to officers during the year for the total staff of 737 amounted to:

3,210 days vacation leave

6,029 days casual leave

Total sick leave for the year on full and half pay amounted to 1,236 days. 92 days no-pay leave and 102 days maternity leave were also approved.

58. Railway Club. The Railway Club, run entirely on subscriptions. from railway staff, continued to flourish. In March, 1968, there were 380 members.

59. Sports. The club entered a team in the competition organized by the Kowloon Miniature Football Association in September, 1967. The annual intra-departmental miniature football competition for the cup donated by Mr. WONG U-lam, vice-president of the Club, was won by the Locomotive Section. The Club's representatives took part in the inter-departmental relay races at the annual athletic meetings held by the Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants' Association, the Urban Services Department and the Hong Kong Police.

60. Education. The Railway Club School continued to function successfully with 265 pupils in seven classes ranging from Junior 1 to Special Form 1. The total number of teaching staff was ten including the Headmaster and two part-time teachers, and their enthusiasm contributed in no small measure to the success of the School. The pupils' attendance was good with an average of 98.8%. Fourteen candidates who were permitted to sit for the 1967 Secondary Entrance Examination held by the Education Department obtained passes in all subjects. Four of them gained government allocated places in Secondary Schools.

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