Post_Office_1973-1974 — Page 8

'Express' service is available on a casual basis and it is designed to secure expeditious delivery in the country of destination. It is hoped to extend this service to a number of other countries during the next few months.

6. Another notable event was the establishment of a non-statutory committee to provide advice and guidance on postage stamp design, The Stamp Advisory Committee, appointed by His Excellency the Governor, was set up in October 1973, to advise the Postmaster General on the designers to be invited to submit designs, the briefs according to which the designers will work, the designs to be submitted for Govern- ment approval and other related issues as the Postmaster General may refer to the Committee.

7. The Chairman of the Committee is the Postmaster General, Those appointed to serve were:

The Hon. SZETO Wai, C.B.E., J.P.;

Mr. Christopher D'Almada e CASTRO, President of the Hong Kong Philatelic

Society;

Mr. J. C. Y. WATT, Curator, Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Mr. Walter W. Y. YEUNG, J.P. (later replaced by Dr. F. K. PAN), Home Affairs

Department;

Mr. T. A. BIRCH (later replaced by Mr. A. R. CLARK), Home Affairs and Inform-

ation Branch, Colonial Secretariat;

Mr. E. A. HACKER, Art Director, Government Information Services.

8. A new definitive set of stamps comprising 14 denominations was placed on sale at all Post Offices on 12th June, 1973. This issue replaced the previous definitive stamps introduced in 1962. On the first day of issue, this new set of stamps set a record for a single day's sales of postage stamps in Hong Kong with a figure of $1,218,964.

9. In addition to the new definitive set of stamps, four special issues of stamps were made during the year and all of them were well received by the public. The issues were for the Wedding of Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, the Festival of Hong Kong 1973, the Lunar New Year 1974 and the Hong Kong Arts Festival 1974.

10. During the year there was a very substantial increase in the number of students who visited the General Post Office in organized groups as part of their study of civic affairs. In all some 700 students from a dozen different schools saw the Post Office at work behind the scenes. The visits included talks and the showing of films about the

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