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COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA
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offices General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui and Kowloon Central Post Offices, and the International Mail Centre the aim is to have the mail despatched on the same day if outgoing flights are available.
During 1984, a total of 519 million letters and parcels – a daily average of 1.42 million - were handled, representing an increase of 8.7 per cent over 1983. Approximately 3 045 tonnes of letter mail and 3 487 tonnes of parcels were despatched abroad by air, an overall increase of 16.3 per cent over 1983.
The Speedpost service has expanded rapidly and is now available to over 300 cities in 27 countries which include Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and West Germany. Taiwan and Macau are also served by Speedpost. Next day delivery is the norm for Speedpost items. The volume of traffic has grown significantly since the service began in 1973. During the year, 791 185 items were handled, representing an increase of 42.5 per cent over 1983.
The Intelpost service, introduced in 1982 to the United Kingdom, is now available to other destinations including Australia, Belgium, France, Macau, Malaysia, the Nether- lands, Qatar, South Korea, Sweden, the United States and West Germany. It offers high speed facsimile transmission of high quality black and white reproductions of documents, handwritten material, drawings and personal messages up to A4 size (210 mm x 297 mm). These items are available within hours at the overseas destination. Since August 1983, the Intelpost service between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom has been extended to provide a special greeting facility. In March 1984, arrangements were also made to accept facsimile copies of documents transmitted from equipment at customers' premises direct to the Intelpost terminal in the General Post Office and then for re-transmission overseas.
A new A4 size official aerogramme was introduced in September. The aerogramme now has an attractive pale cloud outline and its $1 stamp features a new dragon design.
Sha Tin Post Office, Sai Kung Post Office and Ham Tin Street Post Office in Tsuen Wan were relocated in bigger premises during the year in order to cope with the rising postal demand in their districts. In addition, five new post offices were opened during the year, bringing the total number of post offices in the territory to 99.
The Post Office issued four sets of special stamps in 1984. These touched on the history, traditions, and the modern way of life in the territory. The first of the four sets, which was issued in March, consisted of four stamps which depicted the stages in the development of aviation in Hong Kong. For the first time in the history of the Hong Kong Post Office, a set of four post-cards showing an enlargement of the stamps was released with this special stamp
of issue. A set depicting maps of Hong Kong was released in June. Four antique maps Hong Kong, drawn in different years, were featured. Another set of four stamps issued in September was dedicated to the Mid-Autumn Festival. In November, four special stamps commemorating the centenary of the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club were issued. A miniature sheet comprising a set of the four stamps was also released. There is a thriving philatelic business in the territory, and the Post Office has appointed a Philatelic Adviser to help increase the popularity and sale of Hong Kong stamps overseas.
Telecommunication Services
As a leading financial, commercial and industrial centre in Asia, Hong Kong depends on efficient and reliable telecommunications both within the territory and internationally.
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