XN000022-1983-06-19 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 1983

HIGH POSTAL EFFICIENCY MAINTAINED DESPITE RISING TRAFFIC ****

THE HONG KONG POST OFFICE HAS INTRODUCED INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS TO COPE WITH INCREASING MAIL TRAFFIC AND TO MAINTAIN ITS HIGH STANDARDS OF EFFICIENCY.

MAIL TRAFFIC DOUBLED FROM ABOUT 250 MILLION POSTAL ARTICLES IN 1972 TO SOME 500 MILLION IN 1982,

OVER THE YEARS, THE POST OFFICE'S AIR MAIL CENTRE (AMC) HAS DEVELOPED FROM A MANUALLY OPERATED TRANSIT UNIT TO A MECHANISED SORTING OFFICE.

THE AMC, LOCATED WITHIN THE RESTRICTED AREA OF THE AIRPORT, RECEIVES AND DESPATCHES AIR-MAIL LETTERS AND PARCELS FROM COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

IT IS EQUIPPED WITH A CHAIN CONVEYOR AND A SOPHISTICATED PARCEL SORTING MACHINE WHICH IS CAPABLE OF SORTING UP TO 1 500 PARCELS AN HOUR, MR C.Y. YAM, CONTROLLER OF POSTS, SAID.

EIGHTY STAFF IN THE AMC PROVIDE ROUND-THE-CLOCK SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT AMONG OTHER THINGS, ALL INCOMING AIR MAIL IS DESPATCHED TO THE GENERAL POST OFFICE IN CENTRAL FOR PROMPT SORTING AND DELIVERY.

FLIGHT DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL TIMES ARE RELAYED FROM THE AIRPORT DIRECTLY TO THE AIR MAIL CENTRE BY CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION WHICH IMMEDIATELY INFORMS THE STAFF OF ANY CHANGES SO THAT, IF NECESSARY, ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE.

ANOTHER FOCAL UNIT IS THE INTERNATIONAL MAIL CENTRE (IMC) WHERE AIR PACKETS AND LETTERS ARE SORTED AND THEN SENT TO THE AMC IN BAGS, READY FOR DESPATCH.

THE TWO-STOREY CENTRE IS SITUATED NEXT TO THE HUNG HOM RAILWAY STATION AND OCCUPIES A FLOOR AREA OF 13 160 SQUARE METRES.

THE CENTRE, WHICH BECAME OPERATIONAL IN MID-1980, ALSO SERVES AS THE SORTING CENTRE FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL SURFACE MAIL, AND FOR ALL MAIL POSTED IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

ITS COMPUTERISED CHAIN CONVEYORS AND PARCEL SORTING MACHINE CAN HANDLE UP TO 1 000 BAGS OF MAIL AND 3 000 PARCELS AN HOUR RESPECTIVELY.

WITH THE HELP OF MORE THAN 700 STAFF, THE IMC OPERATES FROM 6.30 AM TO 6 PM, AND HANDLES MORE THAN 650 000 ITEMS OF MAIL EVERY DAY, MR YAM POINTED OUT.

/TO ILLUSTRATE