465
MOOSA and REMEDIOS) it was discovered that no less than 83 Registered Letters and Parcels could not be traced. In many of these cases, however, no complaints had or have been made, and in some instances it was found that letters had been twice given receipts for or that, owing to some error subsequently discovered, the letter or parcel had been returned to the senders but the receipt never cancelled. In one instance the guilt in connection with an Insured Parcel for India was brought home to a clerk who had joined the Registration Branch on the 2nd May and resigned on the 3rd June on the ground of the insufficiency of the salary. He, on conviction, was sentenced to six months' Hard Labour, and had he not died before the expiration of his sentence, there were one or two other cases that he would have been charged with. The daily check since introduced will avoid any similar occurrence in the future.
In conclusion, I would like to express the thanks of this Department to the proprietors of The Hongkong Telegraph who have been good enough to insert in their issues the published lists of Poste Restante letters, &c., remaining at this office.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
E. CORNEWALL LEWIS,
Acting Postmuster General,
The Honourable THE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
&c.,
&c.,
fc.
Table A.
Approximate Statistics for the Year 1899.
International.
Local,
Comparison with 1898.
Description of Cerrespondence.
Total.
!
Des- patched.
Received.
Des- patched.
Received.
Total in 1898.
Increase. Decrease.
Ordinary Paid Letters,
|1,424,090 1,584,670 100,460
Unpaid or Short-paid Articles,.
13,760 57,190
490
52,620 470
3,161,840
2,760,390
401,450
71,910
42,420
29,490
Letters on Postal Business,
6,810 4,340
2,600
1,010
14,760
8,250
6,510
Post Cards (Single),
Post Cards with Reply,.......
89,150
62,290
1,750
1,120
154,310
89,280
65,030
360
2,730
30
3,120
3,820
700
Newspapers, Books, Circulars, &c., Patterns,
695,210 1,564,960
66,810
12,870
2,339,850
1,689,690 | 650,160
Registered Articles,
22,880 44,610 165,230 203,470
7,840
160
7,820
5,670
75,490 382,190
48,320
27,170
365,930
16,260
Do.
with Return Receipts,
930
5,980
280
20
7,210
5,800
1,410
Local Delivery :-Letters, Circulars, &c.,
199,520
140,690
58,830
Table B.
Mails Received and Despatched during the Year 1899.
for
from
Mails Hongkong.
Mails for H.M.
Ordinary.
Registered.
Ships.
Mails for Foreign Men-of-War.
Mails sent in transit through this
Office.
Bags.
Packets.
Loose Letter Boxes.
Parcel
Bags. Packets.
Boxes.
Bags.
Bags.
Bags.
Packets.
Received,.
23,309
Despatched,... 21,813
1,471
1,290
1,168
1,122
7,750
7.391 1,264
3,034 1,289
1,845
1,226
14,453
872
1,777
1,192
658
Table C.
Weight of the Correspondence contained in the Mails Despatched to and Received from London by British Contract Pachets during the Special Statistical Period of May, 1899.
Description of Correspondence.
Despatched to London.
Received from London.
lbs.
0Z.
tbs.
0%.
576
6
725
Letters,
144
Post Cards,
1
71
103
Newspapers, Books, Samples, &c.,...................
1,015
111
10,086