Post_Office_1968-1969 — Page 14

a total of 37,000 against the nearly 20,000 handled in 1967-68. This traffic has had a nearly four-fold increase over the past two years.

38. Delivery services again bore the brunt of continual and fluc- tuating pressure. The abounding and probably unique development in so many areas at once requires sustained efforts on the part of our small survey staff in continually adjusting delivery beats to reasonable load levels. Special tribute is due to the loyal postmen who have carried additional loads whilst the relieving arrangements have been worked out and assistance provided. A total of 22 new delivery beats were. instituted during the year, 17 in Kowloon and 5 in Hong Kong.

39. Delivery in tall buildings is a source of recurring difficulties and a great deal more co-operation is needed from the owners and renters of these buildings in providing adequate and secure letter boxes and clearly numbering offices and flats. The standard of addressing also is all too often inadequate and tends to impede prompt service. There are many instances, which we have sought to correct, where firms are using only the names of buildings in their address without street, floor or room number.

40. Posting facilities were increased by the provision of 14 addi- tional boxes, ten in Kowloon and New Territories and four in Hong Kong. A total of 481 posting boxes (including private posting boxes, mail chutes and boxes in branch offices) are now installed.

41. Three motor vehicles were added to the Post Office van fleet during the year to assist in covering additional collection and delivery services in Kowloon.

42. Counter services-the shop windows of the Department-were satisfactorily maintained. But at the busiest offices, notably at the General Post Office and at Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, queuing has been unavoidable during peak periods and some customers have had to wait longer for service than we or they would have wished. In November the registration and stamp counter services at the General Post Office were combined in an effort to give a more equal service for these previously separated forms of business. The trial displeased the stamp only customers but pleased the posters of registered letters whose service was much improved by the new arrangement. Finally two 'stamp only' positions were set up, one of which was the former 'Ladies Only'

counter.

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