PRIVATE BOXES
72. The demand for Post Office Private Boxes continued to exceed by far the number available for allocation despite the fact that additional boxes were installed wherever possible. The greatest demand was for boxes at Victoria, but the very severe limitation of space available, due to the rapid expansion of the Hong Kong Postal Services made the installation of further boxes impossible. The number in use at Victoria, however, now totals 3,000.
73. With the provision of a temporary sorting office at Kowloon, and structural alterations in the Kowloon Central Post Office, it was possible to provide an additional 435 boxes at that office to bring the total to 1,200. 192 boxes were also installed at the Sheung Wan Post Office, and 58 at Un Long.
74. It was necessary during the year, for the efficiency of sorting, to eliminate the duplication of box numbers at Victoria and Kowloon which had occurred in the past, and to achieve this the numbers of many boxes had to be amended. Although this caused some initial inconvenience to box holders, greater efficiency in sorting has been achieved and delay avoided.
75. The overall total of boxes in use on 31st March, 1955, was 4,661.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
76. Telephones. The Hong Kong Telephone Company, Limited, provides a public telephone service covering Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories.
77. As at 31st of March, 1955, the number of Direct Exchange Lines working on the Company's system was 34,090, which with 16,223 extensions, made a total of 50,313 stations.
78. During the year under review, considerable develop- ment took place in the provision of new exchanges, and the extension of existing exchanges. New exchanges were installed
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