48. Parcel traffic to other countries rose from 2,349,900 in 1971-72 to 2,576,700 in 1973, an increase of 9.7%. A significant factor in this increase was an upsurge in the number of parcels posted to the People's Republic of China, which reached a total of 541,800 compared with 244,790 the previous year-a rise of 121.3%.
49. On the other hand, for the first time in a number of years, there was a decrease in air parcel traffic despatched overseas. This traffic declined by 9.2% from 1,018,500 parcels in 1971-72 to 925,200 in 1972-73. Two of the most notable areas featuring in this decline in business were the U.S.A. and South East Asia countries: the decline in the main can be attributed to the gradual reduction in the number of Amercian servicemen visiting Hong Kong.
50. The number of parcels despatched by air accounted for 35.9% of all outward parcel traffic. This compares with 43.4% the previous year.
51. Parcels received from abroad, including parcels in transit, decreased from 594,800 to 587,100, a decline of 1.3%. Parcels received by air accounted for 42.2% of the total, compared with 39.1% last year.
52. There were thirteen cases of violation of mails during trans- mission to or from Hong Kong, a decrease of four by comparison with the previous year.
53. Increasing use was made of containerization for despatching mails to overseas countries, notably U.S.A., Canada, Japan and Taiwan. In the inward direction containerized mails were received primarily from the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore. Loading and unloading of containers takes place on Post Office premises.
54. With the opening of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in Mid-1972, shuttle runs
were arranged daily for the conveyance of airmail between G.P.O. and the Air Mail Centre during the busiest part of the day. This arrangement relieved the pressure on the Department's Cross Harbour Launch services in the late afternoon and contributed to a more even flow of work in the two offices mentioned.
55. The upsurge of parcel and small packet postings to China which began in October 1972 (and mentioned in paragraphs 47 and 48 of this Report) was an unexpected development and for a time
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