XN000022-1997-04-09 — Page 61

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Stamp sales

Following is a question by the Hon Li Kai-ming and a written reply by the Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Stephen Ip, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

The sale of the remaining stock of definitive stamp sheets featuring the Queen's head by the Post Office on 18 March this year attracted many people to queue up overnight outside four post offices. The long queues had not only caused inconvenience to pedestrians, but also left behind a large amount of garbage. An elderly man in his seventies collapsed and died whilst queuing up to purchase stamps. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

Mr President,

a review of the above incident has been conducted by the Post Office; if so, what the results are; if not, why not; and

the Post Office will consider adopting the registration and ballot arrangement in future sales of first-day cover and commemorative stamp issues, so as to save people the trouble of queuing up for long hours?

Having regard to the increasing demand for special stamps in recent months, the Post Office has implemented a series of measures, including increasing the printing quantities of stamps, opening some 20 district post offices at 8 a.m, on the day of issue of special stamps, introducing the Local Standing Order Service for advance ordering of the year's stamp issues, and extending the advance order service for first day covers to include stamp sheetlets and sets of stamps.

In view of the overwhelming response to the past few issues of special stamps and the sale of the remaining stock of definitive stamp sheets featuring the Queen's head, the Post Office is undertaking a thorough review of the arrangements for selling special stamps. One of the objectives of this review is to reduce the need for people to queue. A number of options is being considered, including further extending the advance order service, issuing of special stamps on Sundays as far as possible, balloting in special circumstances and extending quota arrangements to the second and subsequent days of issue, until there is no queuing.

End