ACCOMMODATION
76. The volume of business handled has continued to increase and much has been done to improve and obtain new accommodation in the G.P.O, Building in order to permit this increased volume of work to be handled as efficiently as possible. Much of the new accommodation is, however, on upper floors and whilst it is sufficient to meet immediate demands further problems will arise if postal business continues to increase at the present rate. Handling of mails to and from upper floors is not conducive to efficiency and staff economy and, although mechan- ization will be applied whenever possible, complete efficiency will not be achieved until a bigger and more appropriately constructed main Post Office is provided at Victoria and a Sorting Office at Kowloon.
77. Accommodation at the old Post Offices is in general proving unsuitable to meet the heavy increase in postal business and plans have had to be prepared for their reconstruction or building of new offices nearby to replace them. To relieve the pressure to some extent staff adjustments were made at the Yau Ma Tei, Yuen Long and Tai Po Post Offices, to eliminate the closing of these offices at lunch time.
MISCELLANEOUS
78. Temporary postal facilities for the 16th Exhibition of Hong Kong Products and for the visit of the world cruise ship 'Caronia' were again provided during the year.
79. A number of visits to the main Post Office were made by students in pursuance of their civic studies. The Post Office welcomed these visitors and the many letters of appreciation the students sent after their visits. Keen interest in the organization of the Hong Kong Post Office was also shown by visiting postal officials from other countries.
80. Twenty three additional licences were issued to stamp vendors throughout the Colony in order to facilitate the purchase of postage stamps in the urban and rural districts where no Post Offices exist. A total of 212 Stamp Vendor Licences now operate in the Colony.
81. The private Locked Bag Service continued to grow in popular- ity and eight additional business firms were granted permission to use this service.
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