Post_Office_1950-1951 — Page 9

AIR PARCEL SERVICE.

10. The first air parcel mail from Great Britain was received on 17th June, 1950. Air parcel services also commenced during the year from France, Switzerland and Australia. Air parcel services to and from North America had been introduced during the previous year. Further extensions of this service are also contemplated.

FREQUENCY OF DESPATCHES.

11. Surface mails were despatched to Macao daily. Mails to the mainland of China were also despatched daily by train to Canton. To other destinations mails were despatched at frequent intervals, all suitable ships being utilized. Not all cargo ships leaving Hong Kong have suitable accommodation for the stowage of mails, and some cargo ships with the required accommodation cannot always be relied upon to complete the voyage to United Kingdom ports and elsewhere within a reasonable time. Air mails were despatched five times weekly to Great Britain and to the United States of America. The average transmission time between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom and Hong Kong and the United States was four days, allowance being made for the dates of posting and delivery. Actual flying time has been reduced to 2 to 3 days, as against 33 days by sea.

DELIVERIES.

12. Two deliveries are made on week days in the town areas, com- mencing at 9 a.m. and at 2 p.m. In the rural areas one delivery is made.

PRIVATE P. O. BOXES.

13. An increasingly large number of business firms are making use of Post Office Box facilities. Owing to lack of sufficient accommodation at the Hong Kong and Kowloon Post Offices it has not been possible to satisfy all requests. During the year 841 additional boxes were installed and there are now 2,170 P. O. Boxes at the General Post Office, Hong Kong, and 765 at the Kowloon Post Office. All have been rented and efforts are being made to provide additional boxes, particularly at the General Post Office, Hong Kong.

POSTING BOXES AND COLLECTION SERVICES.

14. There are now 118 posting boxes in the Colony and the collection services were increased toward the end of the year to three clearances on week-days from most of the boxes. Collection times were revised to provide improved connexions with local deliveries and with outgoing air- craft. Letters posted between 7 and 8 a.m. and between noon and 1 p.m.

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