Appendix R.
REPORT OF THE GENERAL POST OFFICE, HONG KONG, FOR THE YEAR 1931.
(A) Post Office.
STAFF
1. Mr. M. J. Breen, Postmaster General, proceeded on leave on 18th July and Mr. E. W. Hamilton was appointed to act in his place.
MAILS, REGISTERED ARTICLES & PARCELS.
2. Full details are shown in Tables I, II and III.
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
3. Tables IV & V show comparative figures for 1930 and 1931 under the appropriate subheads, and Table VI comparative totals for the past eight years.
4. The balance of revenue over expenditure amounted to $883,477.
5. Tables VII & VIII provide details relating to the sale of postage stamps.
6. In consequence of the continued depreciation in the exchange value of Hong Kong currency it became necessary to revise the rates of postage for places outside the Colony with effect from 1st April.
MONEY ORDERS.
7. The combined total of the year's transactions on Money Orders and British Postal Orders shows a decrease of about £2,700 as compared with 1930. The shrinkage in the gold value of the silver currency of China's transactions when converted into sterling would partly account for the decrease as the average rate of the silver dollar in 1930 was 1s. 4½d. whereas in 1931 it was 1s. 0¾d.
8. A direct Money Order exchange with Mauritius was entered into in 1931.
9. Full details are shown in Tables IX, X and XI.