WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1976
POSTAL SERVICES IMPORTANT TO HK'S ECONOMY ******
POSTAL SERVICES ARE OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AND ONLY IF WE CONTINUE TO KEEP PACE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY OF MODERN COMMUNICATIONS WILL WE BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR POSITION AS A LEADING CENTRE OF TRADE AND FINANCE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID TODAY.
HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NEW GENERAL POST OFFICE AT CONNAUGHT PLACE.
+AS AN INDICATION OF THE WAY IN WHICH OUR POST OFFICE HAS KEPT ABREAST OF MODERN METHODS,+ SIR MURRAY SAID, IT WAS THE FIRST OUTSIDE EUROPE AND AMERICA TO INTRODUCE THE ULTRA-FAST SPEEDPOST' SERVICE WHICH NOW OPERATES TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, BELGIUM, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA AND BRAZIL.+
HE ADDED THAT WORK ON THE NEW $43 MILLION INTERNATIONAL MAIL CENTRE AT HUNG HOM WOULD START LATER IN THE YEAR AND WOULD MAKE POSSIBLE FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HANDLING OF MAIL.
+THE HONG KONG POST OFFICE ENJOYS A HIGH REPUTATION BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD, THE GOVERNOR SAID. +OUR LINKS WITH THE BRITISH POST OFFICE ARE LONGSTANDING AND OUR RELATIONS WITH OTHER POSTAL AUTHORITIES INCLUDING THE KWANGCHOW POST OFFICE ARE CLOSE AND FRIENDLY.+
TURNING TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS, SIR MURRAY SAID THAT THE POST OFFICE ALSO HAD RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS FIELD.
THIS ARM OF THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH CONTROLS THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF ALL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES IN HONG KONG, WILL ALSO BE HOUSED IN THE NEW G.P.0. BUILDING,
THE WIDE RANGE AND STRIKING MODERNITY OF THESE TELE- COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE HONG KONG TELEPHONE COMPANY AND CABLE AND WIRELESS, HE SAID, HAD EARNED FOR HONG KONG THE STATUS OF AN IMPORTANT CENTRE IN BOTH THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, AND THE PART THEY HAD PLAYED IN HONG KONG'S EMERGENCE AS AN INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL AND TOURIST CENTRE HAD BEEN IMMENSE.
EARLIER, THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, MR. MALKI ADDI SAID IN HIS SPEECH THAT THE NEW G.P.0. WOULD PROVIDE FOR THE STAFF INFINITELY BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS AND WELFARE FACILITIES.
+AND THIS, PERHAPS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, GIVES ME GREATER SATISFACTION THAN ANY SINGLE ADVANCE WE HAVE MADE IN THE POST OFFICE SINCE I CAME HERE 17 YEARS AGO.+
MR. ADDI SAID THAT THE HONG KONG POST OFFICE WOULD CELEBRATE ITS 135 BIRTHDAY ON AUGUST 24.
/HE RECALLED