Post_Office_1973-1974 — Page 14

Postage Meter Machines

40. The increasing recognition by business houses of the advan- tages of using postage meter machines continues and the number licensed rose from 991 in 1972-73 to 1,163 in 1973-74. Postage collected through meter accounts was $37,400,000, an increase of $600,000 or 1.6% over the preceding year.

POSTAL SERVICES

41. The total number of postal items handled during the year amounted to 261.4 millions compared with 252.1 millions in 1972-73, representing an increase of 3.7%. Within the general increase there were however both upward and downward movements in the statistics of the various categories of mail handled.

Inland Services

42. The number of items (excluding parcels) posted locally for delivery in Hong Kong continued to increase and the total reached an estimated 119.8 millions, compared with 114.4 millions during the previous year. Over the past few years there has been a change in the pattern of locally posted items in that the proportion of items for delivery in Hong Kong compared with those for overseas destinations has gradually increased, and this trend continued in 1973-74.

43. In order to handle the additional traffic it was necessary to increase the number of Postmen's delivery beats and during the year 14 new beats were created in Hong Kong Island and 21 in Kowloon and the New Territories. At the end of the year the number of Post- men's delivery beats totalled 586.

44. The delivery office for the North Point area of Hong Kong Island was moved on the 22nd October, 1973, from King's Road to the new Tsat Tsz Mui Post Office, and the greater space provided in the latter office has enabled postal deliveries in this area to be expanded and reorganized. The King's Road Post Office continues to function to provide counter services and Private Post Box delivery facilities.

45. The number of registered and recorded delivery items posted for local delivery decreased marginally to 4.2 millions compared with 4.3 millions in the previous year. The recorded delivery service is only available to Government Departments for items posted on official business.

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