Inland Mails
34. The number of items (excluding parcels) posted locally for delivery within Hong Kong continued to grow, the total reaching an estimated 114.4 million as compared with 109.4 million in 1971-72— an increase of 4.6%.
35. To keep pace with the rapid development in all areas and the increase in the volume of mails received for delivery, the pro- gramme of delivery beat surveys was stepped up. During the year a total of 38 new beats were created: 8 for Hong Kong Island and 30 for Kowloon and the New Territories. At the end of the year the number of delivery beats totalled 551,
36. The total number of registered and recorded delivery items posted for local delivery declined from 4.4 to 4.3 million. There was a decline of 200,000 registered items but an increase of 100,000 in recorded delivery items-an indication of a movement towards greater use of the recorded delivery service by Government Departments in preference to the registration service. This is a welcome trend as the recorded delivery service is less expensive than the registration service in terms of Post Office staff handling time.
37. The volume of inland parcels posted totalled 39,300, an in- crease of 1,100 or 2.9% over the preceding year.
38. The number of posting boxes (including private posting boxes and mail chutes) totalled 512 at the end of the year, with the addition of 8 new boxes (4 in Hong Kong and 4 in Kowloon and New Territories). Two posting boxes were withdrawn from the service due to inadequate use by the public.
39. Two additional motor vehicles were brought into use to aug- ment posting box collections and inter-office service in Kowloon and the New Territories. This brought the total number of vehicles in the postal flect to 81, including 6 motor scooters.
40. As in previous years, a temporary post office was opened at the 30th Exhibition of Hong Kong Products held on the Wanchai Reclamation from 7th December, 1972 to 8th January, 1973. A temporary post office was also provided from 8th to 11th December, 1972, at the Agricultural Show at Sek Kong Airstrip.
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41. A second Mobile Post Office started operating on a trial basis in the Clear Water Bay and Sai Kung districts on 12th June, 1972.
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