HONGKONG..
REPORT ON THE POST OFFICE FOR THE YEAR 1904.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.
No. 24.
GENERAL POST OFFICE, HONGKONG, 30th March, 1905.
No. 1905
19
SI-I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the Hongkong Post Office for the year 1904.
DEPARTMENTAL CHANGES.
2. Mr. E. CORNEWALL LEWIS, the Assistant Postmaster General, returned from leave on the 3rd March. Mr. S. B. C. Ross ceased to act as Postmaster General on the 11th May, and I then resumed charge of the office.
3. Mr. T. H. MARTIN, Supervisor, was appointed Superintendent of the Registration and Parcels Branch and Mr. R. A. J. SAVAGE, Supervisor, Super- intendent of Mails, both taking up their duties on the 1st January, 1904.
MALLS.
4. Mails were closed during the year for 126 different offices of exchange, and the increase in the number received and despatched is shewn in Table A.
The number of articles posted in the various pillar boxes, was 66,746, as against 48,110 for the previous year.
REGISTRATION BRANCH.
5. Registered mails were contained in bags, packets and boxes, as follows :---
"1
Received, 1904, 1903,
Increase
...
Bags. 13,576
Packets.
Boxes.
6,063
4,724
11,615
5,455
3,920
...
1,961
608
804
Despatched, 1904, ... 13,167
6,368
6,407
}}
1903,... 11,770 Increase ... 1,397
4,084
3,972
2,284
2,435
The number of registered articles and parcels handled in the General Post Office, Hongkong, shews the very considerable increase of 68,498 over the previous year. The average number handled on each working day is 1,914 or 219 more than last year.-Table B.
A Parcel Post Convention concluded with the United States of America came into force at the beginning of the year, and 1,700 parcels were dealt with under it.
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
6. The statement of Revenue and Expenditure shews a balance in favour of the Post Office of $91,702.36. The decrease in the Revenue from the sale of stamps is due to the fact that stamps for General Revenue purposes are now sold exclusively by the Post Office. A sum of $124,284 has been transferred to other heads of General Revenue under which fees and duties are paid in stamps. The decrease in unpaid Postage is only apparent: certain official mails previously prepaid in cash, which was brought to credit under this head, are now prepaid in stamps.
7. The principal savings in Expenditure are due to the higher rate of exchange prevailing during the year.-Table C.
POSTAGE STAMPS.
8. Stamps, Postcards, Envelopes and Wrappers of the undermentioned denominations were issued for sale during the course of the year.