Sessional_Paper_1899 — Page 369

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31. This is recognised and provided for in Singapore, as the following extract from the Straits Settlements Postal Guide indicates :-

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"Certificates of Posting."

"In order to afford the public an assurance that letters, postcards, newspapers, and "packets, entrusted to servants and messengers for posting, have actually been posted, the "Post Office grants certificates of posting at a charge of one cent for each article entered on "a certificate. Any person who wishes to obtain a certificate of posting must send, with "the article for which the certificate is required, an exact transcript of the address on the article, written in ink on a slip of paper, or in a book, with a one-cent postage stamp "affixed to the transcript. The clerk to whom it is presented will compare the address "with the transcript, and, if there is no discrepancy, will obliterate the postage stamp with "the Post Office date stamp. The paper, or book, will then be returned as a certificate that "the article has been posted. No additional responsibility attaches to the Post Office in respect of articles for which such certificates are granted. Special receipts are given for registered and insured articles, and for all parcels."

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Until, however, the additional clerks that have been shown to be necessary are provided the same cannot be done at this Office. Much trouble is almost daily given by requests that letters may be searched for to be registered, the coolie having omitted to do so.

32. The Chinese coolie is not more unintelligent or dishonest than the average negro or Hindoo. In other places, however, either more trustworthy messengers are sent or the public are not so prone to promptly accuse Post Office employés en masse of dishonesty.

33. In other places also the bulk of Europeans understand to some extent the language of their messengers, here numberless mistakes are made from the utter inability of masters and servants to understand one another, and the men are sent off trusting to the Post Office official seeing that the right thing is done.

34. The reception of letters at windows gives much additional labour and is not a proper posting through the boxes supplied for that purpose.

35. Of most of the seniors on the staff it gives me great pleasure to speak highly, the juniors lack sense of responsibility, and it is very doubtful if many of them intend to stick to the service.

36. To insure prompt and satisfactory deliveries the postmen's districts should be much circumscribed which will necessitate a material increase of numbers as detailed last month; all the men should be quartered in the new premises when built.

37. During 1898, eighteen clerks :-Messrs. J. S. REMEDIOS, LAM SHU PIN, TSE A SIT, CHUNG YUK KING, WONG LIM, C. T. SILVA, SIRDAR KHAN, F. FIGUEIREDO, G. SILVA, A. REMEDIOS, P. Ruza, J. V. PEREIRA, T. PERPETUO, F. SILVA, F. JORGE, F. M. RANGEL, F. E. SOARES, M. P. REMEDIOS, joined.

One died and nine resigned, one who joined in 1894, one who joined in 1897 the others all joined in 1898 staying from one month to three, amongst the latter all the Chinese clerks (four).

The staff was increased by eight. Four for the Branch offices, one in the Registration Depart- ment, one in lieu of the Assistant Postmaster General (absent), and two learners.

38. Of the 28 clerks employed on December 31st, 1898, but nine had eight years' service and upwards.

One four years' service, the senior clerk. Four under three years' service including the Superin- tendent of the Registration Branch. Three under two years' service. Eleven under one years' service.

39. Amongst the nine seniors were the then Accountant, since pensioned, the three Marine Officers, the Superintendent of the Money Order Office, and one clerk also in the Money Order Office, the Storekeeper, one clerk in the Registration Branch, leaving only one of the older men for duty in the general office.

I have the honour to be,

The Honourable

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

Wм. C. H. HASTINGS,

Acting Postmaster General.