XN000022-1981-12-24 — Page 3

THURSDAY, DEC"

24, 1981

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HECTIC CHRISTMAS FOR POSTMEN

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THE POST OFFICE HANDLED SOME 32.5 MILLION LETTER MAIL ITEMS DURING THE BUSY CHRISTMAS PRESSURE PERIOD BETWEEN DECEMBER 1 AND 22.

THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 13 PER CENT COMPARED TO THE NUMBER

HANDLED IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A MARGINAL FALL IN THE VOLUME OF SURFACE MAILS RECEIVED FROM 11 730 BAGS TO 11 280 BAGS DURING THIS PERIOD. THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF 2.3 PER CENT FROM 9 305 BAGS TO 9 518 BAGS IN INCOMING AIR MAIL. INCOMING CHRISTMAS PARCELS BY AIR INCREASED BY 4.1 PER CENT FROM 5 830 BAGS TO 6 067 BAGS WHEREAS CHRISTMAS PARCELS ARRIVED BY SEA INCREASED BY 9.5 PER CENT FROM 4 736 BAGS TO 5 186 BAGS.

NEARLY 200 TEMPORARY STAFF WERE EMPLOYED FOR VARIOUS PERIODS BETWEEN NOVEMBER 12 AND DECEMBER 24 TO HELP HANDLE THE HEAVY POSTINGS OF CHRISTMAS AND OTHER MAIL. REGULAR STAFF HAD TO WORK OVERTIME TO ENSURE THAT MAIL WAS NOT DELAYED.

SOME ADDITIONAL 21 VEHICLES WERE ALSO HIRED TO HELP MOVE CHRISTMAS MAIL AND PARCELS AND THE CONVEYANCE OF SOME HEAVILY-LOADED DELIVERY POSTMEN TO THEIR FIRST POINTS OF CALL. ADDITIONAL COLLECTIONS WERE ALSO ARRANGED FROM STREET POSTING BOXES AND BRANCH POST OFFICES TO CLEAR THE HEAVY VOLUME

F CHRISTMAS CARDS.

ON THE WHOLE, THE HANDLING OF CHRISTMAS MAIL THIS YEAR WAS EXTREMELY SMOOTH, A POST OFFICE SPOKESMAN COMMENTED. +THIS WAS LARGELY DUE TO THE EVEN ARRIVAL OF CHRISTMAS MAIL FROM OVERSEAS COUNTRIES. IN ADDITION, THE PUBLIC HAVE ALSO CO-OPERATED BY POSTING THEIR CHRISTMAS MAIL EARLIER THIS YEAR.+

ALL CHRISTMAS MAIL FOR LOCAL DELIVERY POSTED BEFORE 6 PM ON DECEMBER 21 HAS BEEN DELIVERED BEFORE CHRISTMAS DAY.

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