Post_Office_1948-1949 — Page 4

4

Registration

10. The most outstanding feature in this class of mail was the increase of 35,813 items, or 33% in local mail. The slight increase of 12,797 items, or 1.9% despatched to other countries and the decrease of 94,586 items, or 11%, in volume of registered mail from other countries is again attributable to conditions in China, between which country and Hong Kong there was heavy traffic in normal times.

General

11. The exchange of Chinese domestic parcels between Canton and Shanghai through Hong Kong continued to show a steady increase. A total increase of 21,430 bags (16.6%) and of 939 packets (285.3%) in transit mails in general was shown over the corresponding period in 1947/48. Surface mails received showed an increase of 13.4% (10,713 bags) whilst air mails showed an increase of 5,043 bags, or 48.75% over the period 1947/48. Surface mails despatched showed an increase of 6,956 bags (10.24%) while air mails showed an increase of 4,366 bags (42.3%).

12. The Silver Wedding stamps of $10.00 and 10 cents denomina- tions were officially put on sale to the public on the 22nd of December, 1948. The demand was great and sales for that day amounted to $88,000.00. They were withdrawn from sale on 22nd March, 1949.

Chinese Delivery Section

13. There was a small though general increase in volume of mails handled by this important section. Here again the decrease in registered articles was due to conditions in China and the measures taken by that country to divert from Hong Kong to China the flow of remittances from overseas. By extending facilities to "postal hongs", smuggling of letters to China was reduced to a minimum. The use of "postal hongs" facilitates sorting by Post Office staff and postal revenue benefits from the reduction in smuggling.

Money Order Office

14. Details are given in Tables XII and XIII.

15. In spite of the remittance service in general suffering from restrictions imposed by certain countries, and the suspension of services with U.S.A., Philippines, China and Japan, a substantial increase over 1947/48 is shown.

16. The money order service with Pakistan, inaugurated in September 1948, and the money order service from Burma to Hong Kong via Malaya, have far exceeded expectations.

(b) Telecommunications

17. In the course of the year it was decided that all telecom- munications activities, except wireless licensing, should be transferred from Government to Cable & Wireless Ltd. The Communications Branch was accordingly placed under the de facto control of Cable & Wireless with effect from 1st November, 1948 and negotiations for a formal transfer agreement were opened. A detailed summary of

telecommunications activities from April to October 1948 is annexed.