Sessional_Paper_1897 — Page 288

No. 36.

HONGKONG.

REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL FOR 1896.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

289

No. 10

• 87

GENERAL POST OFFICE, HONGKONG, 7th May, 1897.

SIR,I have the honour to forward the following report on the British Postal Service in Hong- kong and China during the year 1896.

2. Approximate Statistics of Correspondence received and despatched during the year are given in table A.

These figures are arrived at from statistics taken during the first 28 days of October. Compared with 1895 there is a decrease in the amount of International Correspondence despatched of 47,430 ordinary letters and post-cards and 15,170 newspapers and other articles, but an increase of 9,820 in the number of registered articles. The international correspondence received shows an increase of

· 228.030 ordinary letters and post-cards and 32,620 registered articles, while there is a decrease of 35,620 papers and other articles. Local Correspondence despatched shows a decrease of 10,820 ordinary letters and post-cards and 720 newspapers, &c., while there is an increase of 3,170 registered articles. The correspondence received shows an increase of—

13,900 Ordinary Letters and Post-cards.

4,520 Newspapers, &c., and

2,480 Registered Articles.

3. Table B shows the monthly sale of stamps at Hongkong during the year as compared with 1895, showing an increased sale of $10,816.98; the average monthly sale being slightly under $13,500 as against a little over $12,500 in 1895.

1. Table C gives the statistics of parcels received and despatched, and table D the comparison with 1895. There were 254 insured parcels despatched to India and 192 received as the result of an arrangement with that country which took effect from 1st January. The outward Christmas and New Year Mails comprised, respectively, 623 and 796 parcels, and the Inward Mails 401 and 333.

5. Table E shows Revenue and Expenditure for the year. There was a nett increase of $830.62 as compared with the Revenue of 1895 and a decrease in the Expenditure of $5,959.10. The balance of Revenue over Expenditure being $56,999.16, an increase of $6,789.72 above that shown in 1895. 6. Table F shows the numbers of parcels despatched to Europe by the P. & O. vessels and the amount of postage and insurance fees collected.

7. Table G shows the Money Order business during the year.

8. I took over charge of the Department on the 8th April on the departure of Mr. TRAVERS Who subsequently resigned the Service on the 18th October, from which date I was confirmed in the appointment.

Mr. NORTHCOTE resumed his duties as Assistant Postmaster General on the 1st April and was granted three months' leave from the 25th August on medical certificate.

Mr. A. BARRON was appointed, on the 22nd October, Superintendent of the newly organised Registration Branch which commenced work on the 14th December in the premises formerly occupied by the Attorney General and Crown Solicitor.

Messrs. A, SILVA and A. P. COSTA resigned during the year, and the new appointments were those of Messrs. RIBEIRO, LOPES and DALIETO.

Mr. REMEDIOS resigned the position of Marine Sorter and was succeeded by Mr. DEMÉE.

9. The work of the Post Office has so largely increased in recent years that the present accomm-xl- ation is not sufficient to permit of its being satisfactorily performed.

Delivery of nails is often delayed on account of the necessity of dealing, in the first instance, with 'those despatched from the Office. The opening of the new Registration Branch gave very little relief to the general work, the advantage gained being that parcels and registered letters are now dealt with in a proper manner.