MONDAY, JULY 9, 1990
2
NEW SYSTEM PUTS HK AT FOREFRONT OF LETTER SORTING TECHNOLOGY
THE
* * *
COMMISSIONING OF THE MECHANISED
LETTER SORTING SYSTEM FOREFRONT OF SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC
{ML55} IN THE POST OFFICE PUTS HONG KONG FIRMLY AT THE MECHANISED LETTER SORTING TECHNOLOGY, THE SERVICES, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
MRS
SPEAKING AT THE OFFICIAL COMMISSIONING OF THE NEW SYSTEM, CHAN POINTED OUT THAT POSTAL TRAFFIC IN HONG KONG CONTINUED TO GROW AT A COMPOUND RATE OF 10 PER CENT EACH YEAR WITH OVER TWO MILLION OF MAIL NOW HANDLED EACH DAY.
THIS ADDED UP TO AN ASTONISHING` FIGURE OF POSTAL ITEMS HANDLED BY THE POST OFFICE IN 1989.
ITEMS
OVER 800 MILLION
A LARGE STEP MRS CHAN SAID THE OVER $100 MILLION MLSS WENT
IN FURTHER IN MECHANISATION BY EMPLOYING, FOR THE FIRST TIME ANYWHERE
TECHNOLOGY WHICH READ RECOGNITION WORLD, THE
OPTICAL CHARACTER
NEED FOR ADDRESSES TYPED OR MACHINE PRINTED IN ENGLISH WITHOUT THE POSTAL CODES.
AUTOMATIC
SORTING
WAS
NOT LIMITED TO ADDRESSES TYPED OR PRINTED IN ENGLISH, SHE SAID.
11
THOSE
LETTERS
WITH
OR
HANDWRITTEN
IN
FOR AUTOMATIC
'LETTERS
ADDRESSES WITH
TYPED, PRINTED CHINESE OR HANDWRITTEN IN ENGLISH ARE ALSO PROCESSED SORTING BY THIS SYSTEM USING VIDEO CODING MACHINES.
"THESE MACHINES ALLOW OPERATORS TO VIEW THE LETTERS ON A SCREEN IS AND TYPE IN AN APPROPRIATE BAR CODE REPRESENTING THE ADDRESS WHICH PRINTED ON THE ENVELOPE TO FACILITATE MACHINE SORTING," SHE SAID.
MRS CHAN SAID TAKEN AS A WHOLE, THE SYSTEM SHOULD RESULT IN THE THE POST AUTOMATIC SORTING OF 90 PER CENT OF ALL LETTERS HANDLED BY OFFICE, AMOUNTING TO 1.7 MILLION ITEMS A DAY AND WELL OVER 600 MILLION ITEMS IN A YEAR AT CURRENT LEVELS OF POSTAL VOLUME.
"THE
BENEFIT
OF THE
SYSTEM
TO THE TAXPAYER
AND POSTAL SERVICE CUSTOMER IS THAT IT WILL ALLOW THE POST OFFICE TO MAINTAIN ITS
ΤΟ HAVING CUSTOMARY HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICE WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF ADDITIONAL STAFF TO COPE WITH THE FAST VOLUME OF POSTAL TRAFFIC AND TO PROVIDE SERVICE INCREASING NEW TOWN POPULATIONS.
ENGAGE
GROWING
ΤΟ THE
RAPIDLY
聊
** IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION ALONE WE ESTIMATE THAT SOME 200
THE SYSTEM, POSTS WILL BE SAVED AS A RESULT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF SHE SAID.
HOWEVER, MRS CHAN STRESSED THAT THERE WOULD BE
NO NEED FOR
REDUNDANCIES.
"SOME POSTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO LAPSE AS THEY BECOME VACANT TO NORMAL WASTAGE THROUGH RESIGNATION OR RETIREMENT.
DUE
/"THE REST