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COMMUNICATIONS
cash on delivery parcels, private boxes and bags, postage meter machines and arrangements for bulk postings, are available. There are two postal deliveries a day, excluding Sundays, in all but the most remote rural areas.
A high percentage of mail posted is destined for abroad and since separate despatches to individual countries are established whenever justified by the volume of mail available for despatch, direct despatches are actually made up to more than 198 different places overseas. The train services between Kowloon and Lo Wu form the main link for the conveyance of mails to and from the People's Republic of China.
Three new post offices were opened and three other offices were closed. There is at present a total of 54 offices in the Colony includ- ing one mobile post office operating in the New Territories. Of the three new offices, two were established on Hong Kong Island, one at Des Voeux Road Central and one at the Wah Fu low-cost housing estate; the other was opened in the New Territories at the Rennie's Mill Village. On the opening of Des Voeux Road Post Office, the Man Yee Arcade Post Office situated on the upper ground floor level of a commercial building less than quarter of a mile from the General Post Office was closed. The Tai Nan Street Post Office closed down on October 12, 1968. This office was opened in February 1964, to provide temporary relief for the Sham Shui Po Post Office. With the opening of Cheung Sha Wan Post Office the continued need for this office was not justified. During the past eight years, nine new offices have been established in areas in the New Terri- tories hitherto served by two mobile post offices. Because of this, one mobile post office was taken out of service on January 15, 1968 and the routing of the other adjusted to provide a more economic coverage of the sparsely populated areas.
Three postage stamp issues were made during the year. The first in January commemorated the Lunar New Year, the "Year of the Monkey', and comprised two stamps in values of 10 cents and $1.30. The second in April was a pictorial issue of six stamps featur- ing various craft commonly seen in Hong Kong Harbour, in values of 10 cents, 20 cents, 40 cents, 50 cents, $1 and $1.30. The third which marked 'International Human Rights Year 1968' comprised 10 cents and 50 cents values and was released in November. In