Post_Office_1958-1959 — Page 5

FOREWORD

THE following is a report on the activities of the Hong Kong Post Office for the year from 1st April, 1958 to 31st March, 1959, the 118th year of its existence.

2. The report shows outstanding increases in both financial and traffic figures which are the highest ever recorded and give evidence of the virile life of the Colony and the sustained effort of its postal administration to extend and improve its activities.

3. During the year new offices opened in 1957 fully proved their worth and gave the public in the areas concerned full counter and inquiry facilities which they previously had to travel a long way to obtain. Construction of new Post Offices for Kowloon City, Mong Kok, Sheung Shui and Peng Chau was put in hand and these offices should be opened during the current year. Plans were also finalized for new offices at Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan to replace the present inadequate offices for the growing communities in these areas, but the general picture, as far as Post Offices in the New Territories are concerned, is not considered to be good and it is hoped it will be possible to improve it during the next financial year. Some relief will be given by the introduction of a mobile Post Office to serve the more remote areas approved in the 1959/60 estimates.

4. Planning also reached an advanced stage for construction of a modern air mail centre at the Kai Tak Airport to meet the rapid turn around of mails which will be necessary with the jet age and to speed up yet further the handling of air mail to and from Hong Kong. Handling of mails at night will also be necessary with the introduction of night landing facilities. In addition preliminary plans were made for new Post Offices at other points including a new Central Post Office on Nathan Road in Kowloon.

5. The position at Head Office, Victoria, continued to be acute but will be relieved to some extent by the acquisition of accommodation at present occupied by the Treasury and Urban Services Department, who will shortly move to accommodation in the new Central Govern- ment Offices. The number of 'make-do' alterations which have been carried out in this office in the last eight or nine years are extensive

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