Sessional_Paper_1894 — Page 331

HONGKONG.

THE ACTING POSTMASTER GENERAL'S REPORT FOR 1893.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of

His Excellency the Governor.

327

No. 24.

No. 33.

GENERAL POST OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 30th June, 1894.

SIR,-I have the honour to forward the following report on the British Postal Service in Hong- kong and China during the year 1893.

2. In addition to the countries enumerated in paragraph 3 of my report for 1892 the following were added during the year to the list of countries with which packets of patterns or samples of merchandise of a maximum weight of 350 grammes (12 oz.) may be exchanged, viz.:-The Argentine Republic, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Honduras, Ecuador, Persia, Spain, Japan and Bolivia.

3. The triennial statistics, on which the payment of charges for the transport of mails throughout the Postal Union is based, were taken during the first 28 days of November.

As far as they have been verified the total weight of mails received and despatched during this period is shown in Table A.

4. The total number of mails despatched and received during 1893 as compared with 1891 and 1892 was :-

Received,

Despatched,

Total Mails,

1891.

1892.

1893.

2,511

3,796

3,764

3,001

4,366

4,375

5,512

8,162

8,139

There was a slight decrease of 32 in the number of mails received and a slight increase of 9 in the number of mails despatched last year compared with 1892.

5. Table B shows the amount of correspondence collected from and despatched to the Peak and Kowloon Districts during the year as compared with the preceding year.

As compared with 1891, there was last year an increase of correspondence received from and despatched to the Peak District of 1,240 and 4,930 letters, &c. For Kowloon, the increase is 2,516 and 4,711 respectively.

6. Table C gives the number of letters, &c. collected from the Pillar Boxes in the Town. The total number collected during the year was 7,266 as compared with 3,072 during the period from August 15th to the end of 1892.

7. The number of parcels received and despatched during the year is shown in Table D. Table E gives the comparison with 1892: There was an increase of 36 in the number of insured parcels sent to the United Kingdom and 141 in the number received.

The heaviest outward mail was the New Year Mail consisting of 677 parcels. The heaviest inward mail was also the New Year Mail consisting of 742 parcels. The inward Christmas Mail consisted of 721 parcels and the outward mail of 541.

As compared with 1892 the results are:---

1892.

1893. Increase. Decrease.

New Year Mail, Outward,

530

677

147

19

"3

Inward,

832

742

90

Christmas Mail Outward,

508

541

33

Inward,

602

721

119

There was an increase of 1,731 parcels received and of 968 despatched as compared with 1892.