ENG-1948 — Page 189

Other permanent departments are: the Audit Department, the Education Department, which controls the Government schools and supervises all private schools within the Colony, the Fire Brigade, the Marine Department, the Department of Civil Aviation, the Police Department, the Railway Department, the Post Office (which also controls Radio Hong Kong), the Prisons Department, and the Royal Observatory.

Since the war a Public Relations Office has been set up. The functions of this office are not to act merely as a Government news but to agency for the distribution to official communiqués, interpret Government policy to the public where necessary, and to keep Government well informed of public opinion. Á public reading room is maintained, and is well patronised. Daily press conferences are held by the Public Relations Officer who also arranges periodical press conferences for Heads of Department. Four departments, originally set up under the Development Secretariat, deal with fisheries, agriculture, forestry and public gardens respectively. The pre-war Botanical and Forestry Depart- ment has been abolished and its functions absorbed by these post- war departments.

The Department of Statistics, a post-war office established originally as the Statistical Branch of the Colonial Secretariat, is equipped with a Hollerith installation for the tabulation of information and is responsible for the production of statistical matter of a specific or general nature required by any department of Government.

Several temporary departments were set up during the Military Administration and continued to function during the year under review. The Department of Supplies, Trade and Industry was established primarily to handle the large volume of supplies imported by Government after the re-occupation. By the end of 1946, normal procurement for Government requirements had already been taken over by the Stores Department. Importation of a decreasing range of bulk foodstuffs and controlled commodities on Government account was continued throughout the year and by the end of 1948 was limited to coal, rice, sugar, flour, fresh meat and cotton yarn. The administration of an elementary rationing system and a system of price control remained throughout 1948 in the hands of the Director of Supplies, Trade and Industry.

The Custodian of Property is responsible for the control of both enemy and abandoned property. The major task of this department has been completed, but responsibility for the maintenance and disposal of enemy property will not terminate until all peace treaties are signed. The Quartering Authority is

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