XN000022-1978-03-11 — Page 5

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SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1978

HONG KONG TO HOST INTERNATIONAL SPEEDPOST CONFERENCE

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ABOUT 30 DELEGATES FROM 18 POSTAL ADMINISTRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WILL BE ATTENDING THE 4TH INTERNATIONAL SPEEDPOST CONFERENCE WHICH OPENS IN HONG KONG ON MONDAY (MARCH 13).

THE FIVE-DAY CONFERENCE, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND TO BE HELD IN THE FAR EAST, WILL BE OFFICIALLY OPENED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DENYS ROBERTS, AT THE SHERATON HOTEL.

THE CONFERENCE 13 HOSTED BY THE HONG KONG POST OFFICE AND WILL BE CHAIRED BY MR. A.C. HEATHCCTE, DEPUTY POSTMASTER GENERAL.

AMONG THE COUNTRIES ATTENDING ARE DELEGATES FROM AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, JAPAN, THE NETHERLANDS, THE UNITED KINGDOM AND U.S.A. SEVERAL COUNTRIES, INCLUDING CANADA, MALAYSIA AND KOREA WHICH HAVE NO SPEEDPOST SERVICES, WILL ALSO ATTEND.

SPEEDPOST IS A HIGH SPEED POSTAL SERVICE FOR PRIORITY MAIL, AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES OPERATING THIS QUALITY SERVICE WILL INCREASE AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE DISCUSSIONS NEXT WEEK.

SPEEDPOST HAS LIVED UP TO ITS PROUD BOAST OF BEING THE QUICKEST AND MOST RELIABLE WAY OF CONVEYING URGENT MATERIAL OVERSEAS, AS EVIDENCED BY THE DAILY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS AND THE VOLUME OF SPEEDPOST ITEMS POSTED.

MAJOR BANKS, CREDIT CARD COMPANIES AND EXPORTERS ARE ALL REGULAR USERS OF THIS SERVICE.

THE SERVICE HAS EXPANDED IN BOTH THE RANGE OF FACILITIES AND THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES USING THE SERVICE, AND THE CONFERENCE WILL DISCUSS PROCEDURES WHICH WILL ENSURE THAT THE HIGH STANDARD OF THE SERVICE WILL BE MAINTAINED IN THE FACE OF THIS RAPID EXPANSION.

MR. HEATHCOTE SAID THE MAIN REASON FOR THE GROWTH OF THE SERVICE WAS THAT IT HAD PROVED TO BE A FAST AND DEPENDABLE WAY OF GETTING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS AND MATERIALS TO AND FROM PLACES OVERSEAS.

THE SPEEDPOST SERVICE PROVIDES HIGH SPEED MAIL CONVEYANCE TO AND FROM AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, BRAZIL, FRANCE, JAPAN, THE NETHERLANDS, THE UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES AND TAIWAN.

THERE ARE CONTRACT SERVICES DESIGNED FOR CUSTOMERS WHO NEED TO SEND PACKAGES TO THE SAME ADDRESSEE OVERSEAS ON A REGULAR BASIS WHILE THE ON-DEMAND SERVICE 13 USEFUL FOR CUSTOMERS WHO DO NOT HAVE A NEED TO SEND CONSIGNMENTS ACCORDING TO FIXED SCHEDULE, HE SAID.

/MR. HEATHCOTE