Post_Office_1963-1964 — Page 13

China Mails

52. Posting of small packets to China decreased in comparison with the previous year, an estimated total of 7,976,045 being posted as compared with 12,040,130 in the previous financial year.

Forces Mail

53. Mails for Naval, Army and Air Force Units continued to be dealt with by the British Forces Post Office and Fleet Mail Office in close liaison with this department.

54. Mail arrangements for various visiting foreign warships were made in accordance with the wishes of the respective overseas postal administrations.

Christmas and Chinese New Year Postings

55. An increase of 3 per cent was recorded in Christmas postings in 1963 and approximately 1,250,000 cards were posted each day in the four-day period up to 23rd December.

56. A casual labour force of thirty clerks and eighty labourers was engaged for the two weeks preceding Christmas.

57. During the eight-day period over the Chinese New Year, a total of 2,156,927 items were machine stamped compared with 2,003,761 over the same period last year. Temporary labour was again employed to assist in dealing with these postings.

Parcel Post

58. Parcel post traffic continued to rise, a total of 1,584,483 (including 18,814 parcels in transit) being handled during the year, showing an increase of 87,041 parcels or 5.8% over last year's figure.

59. Air parcels posted (including insured items) numbered 309,124 and those received 78,272, showing a rise of 13% as compared with the figures of the previous year.

60. New direct closed surface parcel despatches were introduced to Port Sudan (Sudan), Montreal (Canada), Barcelona (Spain) and Naha (Ryukyu Islands)..

61. A new insured letter and box service for Aden was inaugurated in November 1963. New air mail registered despatches were received from Nauru Island and air insured despatches from Stockholm (Sweden).

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