Post_Office_1967-1968 — Page 16

continually under review. Further direct despatches were arranged with overseas countries whenever the amounts of mail warranted this course.

58. Because of the closure of the Suez Canal since June, however, surface mails to and from Great Britain and most European countries were necessarily despatched via the Cape Route. This diversion, which continues, involves a lengthier transmission time of between 6-10 days for these mails.

Registration and Insurance

59. A total of 7,769,301 registered or insured items were dealt with. This represented a small decrease on last year's total of 7,889,725 articles.

60. A simplified system of recorded delivery was introduced on 18th March, 1968 for inland postings by Government Department. Most official items which formerly were sent by the registered post will now be handled by this service.

Local Mails

61. The number of letter and packet items posted in Hong Kong for local delivery continues to grow and reached nearly 70 million for the year. These items together with mail received from abroad brought delivered totals to a new peak of nearly 143 million and over 9 million more than the previous year. Two additional motorised deliveries and a further six foot deliveries were introduced in Kowloon and the New Territories; one additional foot delivery was introduced in Hong Kong, Further surveys of delivery beats are in progress.

62. Deliveries would be facilitated by better co-operation in the numbering of offices and flats and in the provision of adequate letter boxes.

63. To keep pace with postal development an additional five motor vehicles were brought into use during the year.

Posting Boxes

64. The number of posting boxes (including private posting boxes, mail chutes and posting boxes in new post offices) totalled 467 at the end of the year. During the year 16 new posting boxes were installed, 11 in Kowloon and New Territories and 5 in Hong Kong.

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