R 3
continued reduction of the British garrisons in the East and the entire absence of His Majesty's Fleet resulting in a net decrease of £5,017.18.9 on the Money Order transactions for the year. It is however a distinct improvement when compared with the large decrease of £17,104 which took place in 1914. The same remarks apply to British Postal Orders where a slight increase in payments is recorded but a decrease of £6,870 in the sales. The increased demand for Local Postal Orders in 1914 did not continue in 1915, which year shows a decrease of $4,000.
The Money Order business with the German Possessions in the South Seas, which stopped on the outbreak of the war, is being revived lately under the administration of the Australian Commonwealth and the Dominion of New Zealand. An increase of £3,670 has taken place in the inward orders from Apia, Samoa, which office comes under the New Zealand administration.
Further details appear in Tables VII and VIII.
6. CHINESE DELIVERY SECTION OF THE GENERAL POST OFFICE.
During the year this section handled 1,529,413 ordinary letters, 31,544 postcards, 97,254 newspapers and book-packets, 3,581 samples and 4,149 postal hong packets. The registered articles delivered amounted to 210,123 as compared with 216,132 in 1914, a decrease of 6,009 articles only. This is a very small decrease considering that the bulk of the registered correspondence comes from Canada and the United States of America and that shipping facilities in the Pacific have been very poor ever since the outbreak of war. 132,470 registered articles came from the United States of America and Canada and 77,653 from China and other countries. 1,221 insured letters were also dealt with.
The Hong licences of the 26 Chinese Postal Hongs were renewed and 1 new licence was issued. During the year 2 hong licences were cancelled for breaches of the Post Office Ordinance leaving 25 postal hongs at the end of the year.
7. Sheung WAN DISTRICT BRANCH POST OFFICE.
This office was originally opened to deal with the large native postal traffic between Hongkong and Canton. During the year under review it was found necessary to close mails to other important coast and river ports and arrangements were accordingly made with the Chinese Post Office for the closing of direct mails by local steamer services running to Kong Mun, Kau Kong, Kam Chuk, Shek Ki, Tai Ping Tung, Sam Shui, and Wuchow.