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SUNDAY, JULY 27, 1986
EXCLUDING THOSE ON OUTLYING ISLANDS AND THE THREE MOBILE POST OFFICES, THERE ARE AT PRESENT 28 POST OFFICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE THREE MOBILE POST OFFICES PROVIDE ONLY GENERAL COUNTER SERVICES, SUCH AS SELLING STAMPS, AND ACCEPTING ORDINARY, EXPRESS AND REGISTERED MAIL AS WELL AS PARCELS.
THE VEHICLES ARE SPECIALLY MODIFIED FOR THIS PURPOSE:
A SLOT ON ONE SIDE SERVES AS A POSTING BOX AND A METAL PANEL, SCREWED DOWN WHEN THE VAN IS ON THE ROAD, OPENS OUT TO FORM A WRITING SHELF AT STOP POINTS.
THE USE OF MOBILE POST OFFICES IS THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND EFFICIENT MEANS OF PROVIDING POSTAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS LIVING IN REMOTE AND SMALL COMMUNITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
MR LIN POINTED OUT THAT IN DETERMINING WHETHER A POST OFFICE SHOULD BE PROVIDED, TWO CONDITIONS HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED.
FIRSTLY, IN RURAL AREAS A POST OFFICE IS NORMALLY NOT PROVIDED WITHIN A RADIUS OF 3.2 KILOMETRES OF ANOTHER.
THE SECOND CONDITION IS THAT THE POPULATION SERVED BY THE POST OFFICE SHOULD BE AT LEAST 30 000.
AS THE POST OFFICE HAS ALWAYS ENDEAVOURED TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE POSSIBLE, AND, IN VIEW OF THE MANY SMALL ISOLATED COMMUNITIES WHERE THE SETTING UP OF A POST OFFICE IS NOT JUSTIFIED, THE PROVISION OF MOBILE POSTAL SERVICE OFFERS A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION.
+SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT BRINGS THE POSTAL SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS' DOOR-STEP, MR LIN SAID.
AS FOR THE RECURRENT COST OF RUNNING A MOBILE POST OFFICE, HE ESTIMATED IT TO BE AROUND $15 000 A YEAR, COVERING FUEL COSTS AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES.
+OF COURSE, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SALARY FOR THE TWO- MEMBER TEAM WHICH, COMPRISING A POSTMASTER AND A POSTMAN-DRIVER, IS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR RUNNING A POST OFFICE, WHETHER PERMANENT OR MOBILE, HE ADDED.
MAINTENANCE OF THE VANS IS HANDLED BY THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND, ON AVERAGE, THE COST IS AROUND $7 000 A YEAR. FUEL CONSUMPTION PER VEHICLE ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT $8 000 YEARLY.
THE THREE VEHICLES RUN ON SEPARATE ROUTES CAREFULLY PLANNED TO COVER AS MANY POINTS OF CALL AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN 8 AM AND 5 PM.
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