showing a decrease of 15.9% on the corresponding figure for the previous year.
46. Parcels exchanged with overseas countries declined by 6.3% as compared with 1970-71 level, due chiefly to the suspension of services to U.S.A. arising from a nation-wide dock strike there in October 1971, and to restrictions placed by the Philippines Administration on the number of parcels which may currently be sent to that country.
47. However, the outward air parcel traffic rose by 2.1% to a total of 1.02 million items and accounted for 43.4% of all parcels despatched from Hong Kong.
48. Parcels received from abroad (including parcels in transit) reached a level of some 595,000 compared with 570,000 the previous year-an increase of 4.4%. Parcels which arrived by air accounted for 39.1% of the total, compared with 36.8% the previous year.
49. There were 17 cases of violation of mails during transmission to or from Hong Kong, an increase of 11 cases over the previous year.
Service Interruptions
50. As previously mentioned, surface parcel mail to U.S.A. was suspended from 7th to 25th October, 1971, due to a dock strike in that country.
51. As a result of a strike at Canadian airports from 18th to 29th January, 1972, the airmail service to Canada was affected. Outward airmails from Hong Kong were diverted to U.S.A. for onward trans- mission.
52. The situation in Pakistan resulted in disruption of both air and surface mails to that country.
Christmas Mails
53. Heavy postings of parcels, packets and cards to countries abroad were again recorded. In October/November 1971, 26,338 bags of parcels were made up and despatched to American and European countries.
Development
54. Some improvement in the accommodation situation at G.P.O. was realized during the year. A new hutment was completed on the Central Reclamation and was occupied by the Parcel Acceptance and
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