year. 1,050 new boxes were installed at the G.P.O. and 600 at the new Cheung Sha Wan Post Office during the year.
Business Reply Service
46. 57 new licences were issued and 19 were not renewed. The total in force on 31st March, 1967 was 207.
Franking Machines
47. 413 licences are now current; a net increase of 44 over the pre- vious year showing the increasing recognition of the value of franking machines to firms with regular heavy postings.
Services to other Departments
48. The value of free services given to departments of Government during the year was estimated to be approximately $1,800,000. This is exclusive of the services rendered to departments by the Telecommunica- tions Division including all matters dealing with telephone services and installations.
POSTAL SERVICES
49. The estimated number of postal articles dealt with during the year reached a total of 218,813,100, an increase of 16,278,600 or 8% above the previous year. This includes items posted in the Colony and items received from abroad for delivery, or in transit to other destina- tions.
Air Mail
50. Air mail services were used to a greater extent and letters and packets posted for air transmission were estimated at 36,423,300, an increase of 25%, partly at the expense of surface mails which again declined in quantity.
Forces Mail
51. Mails for units and establishments of the Armed Services station- ed in Hong Kong continued to be handled by the British Forces Post Office in full co-operation with this Department.
Christmas Mails
52. Christmas begins in October or thereabouts for the Post Office when parcels, packets and cards by surface mail to abroad are posted.
6