XN000022-1975-07-06 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JULY 6, 1975

DURING THE YEAR, SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS WAS MADE IN THE PROVISION AND EXPANSION OF SPECIAL POSTAL FACILITIES. SPEEDPOST, A FAST INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROVIDING A DOOR-TO-DOOR PACKAGE COLLECTION AND DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS, WAS EXTENDED TO COVER BRAZIL AND JAPAN IN ADDITION TO BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.

THE POST OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID THIS SERVICE HAD PROVED HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AND HAD BEEN FAVOURABLY COMMENTED UPON BY THOSE USING IT. IT HAD BROUGHT IN THREE-QUARTERS MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE AND THIS FIGURE WAS EXPECTED TO INCREASE AS THE SPEED AND RELIABILITY OF THE SERVICE BECAME MORE WIDELY KNOWN.

IN MAY THIS YEAR, A NEW SPEEDPOST ON DEMAND'' SERVICE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE U.S.A. TO SUPPLEMENT THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM OPERATED SOLELY ON A CONTRACT BASIS. THE ON DEMAND SERVICE IS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE A REGULAR NEED FOR ''SPEEDPOST" FACILITIES.

THIS SERVICE CAN ONLY BE USED FOR SENDING PACKAGES TO THE UNITED STATES AT PRESENT, BUT ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE TO EXTEND IT TO OTHER COUNTRIES.

ANOTHER MAJOR INTERNATIONAL POSTAL FACILITY, THE ''EXPRESS'' MAIL WHICH STARTED ON A RECIPROCAL BASIS WITH 20 COUNTRIES IN MARCH LAST YEAR, WAS EXTENDED TO NEARLY 100 COUNTRIES. SOME 170,800 ITEMS WERE SENT BY THIS FACILITY DURING THE YEAR.

ACCELERATED SURFACE POST, ANOTHER NEW POSTAL SERVICE WHICH UTILISES SPARE AIRCRAFT SPACE FOR THE BULK POSTING OF PRINTED MATERIALS, STARTED IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR. THIS FACILITY PROVIDES A USEFUL ALTERNATIVE TO THE CHEAPER, SLOWER SURFACE MAIL AND THE FAST BUT MORE EXPENSIVE AIRMAIL SERVICE.

AT PRESENT THE SERVICE IS ONLY AVAILABLE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE UNITED KINGDOM BUT PLANS ARE IN HAND TO EXPAND IT TO OTHER COUNTRIES.

DURING THE YEAR, A NEW POST OFFICE WAS OPENED AT PERKINS ROAD IN JARDINE'S LOOKOUT. THIS BROUGHT TO 69 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POST OFFICES OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING A MOBILE POST OFFICE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

A SPECIAL PHILATELIC COUNTER, SELLING COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS AND PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR COMMEMORATIVE COVERS TO BE HAND-STAMPED, WAS SET UP IN THE GENERAL POST OFFICE IN JANUARY THIS YEAR.

THE POST OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID BUSINESS HAD BEEN BRISK AT THIS SPECIAL COUNTER AND THAT IT WAS PROVING TO BE INCREASINGLY POPULAR, ESPECIALLY AMONG TOURISTS.