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Thursday, June 17, 1971
There will be general increases in parcel post charges from
1st July due to higher handling costs, partly within Hong Kong but mainly
in countries of destination, and by carriers.
reflect a world-wide trend.
These increases generally
Commenting on the new rates the Postmaster General, Mr. Addi,
said today: "We have had considerable success in keeping postage rates
down but nevertheless we have to raise postal charges for those services
for which the minimum rates were laid down by the Universal Postal Union
at the Tokyo Convention, for which the existing charge is uneconomical,
and where we are charged higher fees by carriers and other administrations.
Costs have risen considerably over the past years and, as everyone knows,
it now costs much more to employ staff than it did 20 years ago, when
our basic inland rates were established."
Other changes announced today which will also take effect from
July 1st include the following:
Registered mail
The fee for registration will be raised from 40 cents to $1, as
the present charge is less than half the handling cost.
represents a small percentage of all mail handled by the Post Office and
out of a total of 240 million items posted in the Colony during the last
financial year only 7 million were registered.
The sample post service will be abolished. Trade samples may be
sent by small packet post for which the weight limit is two pounds for
all countries, or they may be sent by parcel post, for which the weight
limit, for most countries, is 22 pounds.
/The