Post_Office_1951-1952 — Page 9

18. During the previous year there had been a drop in parcels traffic which was directly due to the U.S.A. embargo imposed on certain classes of goods exported to the Far East and to import restrictions imposed by the Taiwan Government on parcels entering Taiwan; during the past year, with the imposition of the general embargo which was followed by restriction on goods exported from Hong Kong, the number of parcels sent to and received from Taiwan and Malaya dropped by 60%; traffic with India dropped by 40%, and with the U.S.A. 35%. As the bulk of all parcels received in the Colony are com- mercial parcels, firms and others who found themselves deprived of sources of goods from the U.S.A. undoubtedly overcame this handicap by importing from Great Britain, for the traffic between Great Britain and Hong Kong exceeded the previous year's figures by over 19,000 parcels, representing a 42% increase.

19. Many adjustments in parcel postage rates were neces- sary on account of increased charges for conveyance and handling payable to other Postal Administrations consequent on the devaluation of sterling currency in relation to the U.S. dollar.

REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE

20. Whilst not up to the record-breaking figures of 1950/51, the number of Registered and Insured items handled was still far in excess of any of the previous years on the following figures shown:

Year

}

1948/49

1949/50

Number of registered

articles dealt with

1,575,945

1,835,053

1950/51

+

*

2,293,079

1951/52

4

2,141,066