Post_Office_1950-1951 — Page 11

arrivals of parcels were received from the U.S.A., Great Britain and Malaya. The heaviest despatches of parcels were made to Taiwan (Formosa), Great Britain, U.S.A., Malaya, India and Australia, in that order. The largest single parcel mail despatched consisted of 2,409 bags on 26th October 1950, on s.s. "Corfu". Of the total of 10,126 parcels included in that consignment, no less than 7,220 parcels were gift parcels, sent to the United Kingdom, containing food and other commodities. The U.S.A. embargo on the export of certain commodities was responsible for a sudden drop of 60% in parcels received from the U.S.A. in February and March 1951. Restrictions by the Taiwan Customs Authorities were responsible for a decrease in parcel traffic to Taiwan from December 1950. Despite this decrease at the end of the year, parcels despatched to Taiwan during the whole year were more than double the number sent in the previous year, (1949/50, 38,260; 1950/51, 78,437; increase 40,177).

LETTER MAILS.

18. Details of the letter mails handled during the year are given at Table 1. In round figures, it is estimated that 39 million items were posted and 47 million items delivered in Hong Kong during the year.

CHRISTMAS MAILS,

19. During the six days preceding Christmas Day 1950, nearly 700,000 letters were postmarked and automatically counted by the electric. stamp cancelling machines. It is estimated that at least two million items, posted and delivered, were handled by the Hong Kong postal staff during the week preceding Christmas. Approximately 300 tons of mail arrived during that week from overseas, 312 bags by air and 4,815 bags by sea. The largest consignments of air mails were received on 22nd December, 1950-85 bags from Loudon and 79 bags from San Francisco. Air mail letters posted in London 21st December 1950 reached Hong Kong by 25th December (Christmas Day). The number of parcels received for delivery during Christmas week was almost 10,000.

POSTAGE RATES.

20. The "Printed paper" and "Commercial paper" rates were com- bined in November, 1950 in the domestic service, (including the mainland of China, Taiwan and Macao), and a new rate of 5 cents for the first 4 ounces and 2 cents for each additional 2 ounces was introduced. Con- currently a new rate for Printed Papers for overseas destinations of 5 cents for each 2 ounces was introduced. A reduced second-class air mail rate of 20 cents per half ounce to Malaya and 40 cents per half ounce to Great Britain was also introduced in November 1950. The principal postal charges in force are indicated in Table 6.

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