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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1976
HE RECALLED THAT IT WAS FIRST ACCOMMODATED IN A SMALL WOODEN BUILDING ON A LITTLE HILL JUST ABOVE THE SITE OF THE PRESENT ST. JOHN'S CATHEDRAL.
IT MOVED TO A WATERFRONT SITE ON QUEEN'S ROAD NEAR THE JUNCTION WITH WYNDHAM STREET IN 1846, BUT IN COURSE OF TIME, LAND WAS RECLAIMED AND THE WATERFRONT RECEDED. IN 1911 IT MOVED TO THE PEDDER STREET SITE WHICH WAS THEN ALSO ON THE WATERFRONT.
+ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE PATTERN SET OVER THE YEARS. WE ARE AGAIN ON THE WATERFRONT TO THE ENVY, I SUSPECT, OF MANY AND, I AM SURE YOU WILL AGREE, WE HAVE NOW ON THIS SITE A FINE, NEW BUILDING OF WHICH HONG KONG CAN BE JUSTLY PROUD, + HE SAID.
MR. ADD THANKED ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT FOR THEIR HARD WORK, IN PARTICULAR THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE PROJECT ARCHITECT AND THE BRITISH POST OFFICE CONSULTANCY SERVICE WHO DESIGNED THE MECHANISED SYSTEMS.
BEFORE HANDING OVER THE KEYS TO THE BUILDING TO MR. ADD! THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. WILLIAM BELL IN HIS SPEECH SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE NEW G.P.0. WAS ONLY FIVE STOREYS HIGH - ABOUT THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING, IT PROVIDED A TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF 170,000 SQ. FT. - MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT IN THE OLD BUILDING.
HE SAID THE PLANNING OF THE BUILDING BY THE PWD'S ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 1969. PILING WORK COMMENCED IN APRIL 1974 AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE IN OCTOBER 1974. BUILDING ITSELF TOOK SOME 21 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
THE
+ IN ADDITION TO MODERN POSTAL MECHANISATION, THIS BUILDING IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH EFFICIENT AIR-CONDITIONING AND LIGHTING SYSTEMS, A SOPHISTICATED FIRE PREVENTION SYSTEM, A NETWORK OF CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION SECURITY SCANNERS AND ALSO A CENTRAL VACUUM-CLEANING PLANT WHICH, I AM TOLD, IS THE FIRST ONE INSTALLED IN HONG KONG,+ MR. BELL SAID.
FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH :
+THE MOVE OF THE GENERAL POST OFFICE TO THIS FINE NEW BUILDING IS OVERDUE. THE OLD POST OFFICE WAS A WELL-KNOWN LANDMARK. TO SOME IT HAD AESTHETIC APPEAL, BUT NONE CLAIMED ITS EXTERIOR WAS SUGGESTIVE OF THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY WHICH POSTAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS HAVE BECOME SINCE IT WAS BUILT. AND WE HAVE HEARD WHAT THE POSTMASTER GENERAL HAD TO SAY ABOUT ITS INTERIOR. SO WE ALL CONGRATULATE HIM ON THIS MOVE TO MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE APPROPRIATE OFFICES, AND INCIDENTLY ON THE RECOVERY OF HIS UNINTERRUPTED HARBOUR VIEW.
+THE SERVICES WHICH HIS DEPARTMENT PROVIDES ARE OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY. 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. TOO OFTEN WE ARE APT TO TAKE FOR GRANTED THE EASE WITH WHICH WE COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE, BOTH IN HONG KONG AND ABROAD. WE FORGET THE AMOUNT OF TIME, EFFORT AND SKILL REQUIRED OF THE STAFF OF THE POST OFFICE.
/+ALMOST