Q 4
The revenue derived from the sale of stamps rose from $75,760.80 in 1913 to $89,439.33, an increase of $13,678.53.
8. SAIYINGPUN DISTRICT BRANCH POST OFFICE.
A new Branch Post Office was opened in the West of the City of Victoria on the 1st of May, 1914, to meet the requirements, not only of the University of Hongkong which is in the immediate vicinity, but also the needs of a thickly populated district which has hitherto been entirely unprovided for. During the 8 months of the year in which business was transacted at this Branch, 19,177 ordinary letters, other articles, and registered letters were despatched to the General Post Office for transmission abroad and 28,426 to Sheungwan Branch Post Office for Canton. The mails received for delivery amounted to 123,986 from the General Post Office and 71,915 from Sheungwan Branch Post Office (Canton correspondence).
The revenue derived from the sale of stamps amounted to $5,108.22.
9. TSIM SHA TSUI (KOWLOON) DISTRICT BRANCH POST OFFICE.
This Branch Post Office was established in 1898 on the mainland to supply the requirements of the increasing non-Chinese population resident there. No statistics of the correspondence dealt with have been kept in the past, but they are now being taken. Accurate information of the business done at this Branch Post Office will therefore be available in future. The most important feature of this Branch is the comparatively large money order business transacted mainly on behalf of the Indian troops stationed in Kowloon.
The revenue derived from the sale of postage stamps amounted to $14,718.03 and revenue stamps $2,338.90.
10. MISCELLANEOUS.
The chief feature of the year was the outbreak of the European war, which has materially affected the General Post Office and which accounts for the decrease of postal business and of the postal revenue. On the outbreak of war, the movements of ships became very erratic, a large number were withdrawn, and serious delays occurred in the arrival and despatch of mails. A considerable improvement had, however, been effected by the end of the year, the only non-enemy service which remained suspended being that of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, the whole of whose Pacific fleet had been requisitioned by the Admiralty. It is a matter for congratulation that the Siberian mail service, which was entirely suspended in August, was re-opened in less than a month, and though the service is slower than before the war, mails now reaching the Colony in 32 days on an average (which before the war arrived in 20 days), it is very satisfactory to find that this service is working so smoothly under prevailing conditions. Only two mails have been lost owing to the sinking of the S.S. "Atle" in the North...