Private Boxes
43. Private boxes and bag services realised revenue of $579,618.04, an increase of $42,267.79. With the opening of the new Kowloon Central Post Office 4,620 boxes became available for rent. In addition 100 private boxes were installed at Tuen Mun San Hui and 50 at Fanling.
Business Reply Service
44. The number of licences current at 31st March, 1968 was 234, an increase of 27 over the previous year.
Franking Machines
45. The number of firms and organizations using postage meter machines increased by 39 during the year to bring the total number of licence holders to 452.
Services to other Departments
46. The value of free services given to departments of Government during the year is estimated to be $1,800,000.
POSTAL SERVICES
47. The total of all postal articles posted, delivered or handled in transit through the Colony during the year was estimated at 228,385,600, an increase of 4.4% over the previous year.
Air Mail
48. The use of air mail services continued to increase and the annual figures show an approaching parity between air and surface transmis- sions; 40,141,761 articles were sent by air mail compared with 40,743,998 by surface post. The air mail figures represented an increase of 10% over last year and showed that some 60% of all outward letter mail (first class) was despatched by air compared with 53% in 1966-67.
Forces Mail
49. The British Forces Post Office continued, with full co-operation, to provide postal facilities for units of the defence services stationed in Hong Kong.
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