Sessional_Paper_1906 — Page 534

409

GENERAL.

20. The postage on letters to Australia was reduced to 4 cents for each oz. The Commonwealth reduced the rates of postage on letters and post cards from the Colonies to 2d. per each oz. and 1d. respectively.

21. A new Steam-launch was built for the Department during the year, and is a great improvement in accommodation and speed on its predecessor.

22. Early in the year there was a re-arrangement of the various branches so as to allow of the available space being used to the best advantage. This gave greater facilities for sorting correspondence for local delivery and box-holders, and gave better accommodation for the Enquiry and Poste Restante Branch, and left more room for the receipt and despatch of mails which are largely increasing in bulk.

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23. The further extension of the Registration and Parcel Branch into the vacant hall below the Supreme Court gave a considerable increase of counter space and permitted the extension of the time up to which parcels could be received for despatch by the English Mail as well as considerable acceleration in the deliveries.

Hongkong, 29th March, 1906.

Table I.

MAILS DESPATCHED AND RECEIVED FOR 1905.

L. A. M. JoпNSTON, Postmaster General.

To and from Hongkong.

For H.M. For For-

Ships.

Sent in transit

of War.

eign Ships through

Hongkong.

Steamers carrying

Mails.

Loose

Received, 1905,

Received, 1904,

Bags. Packets. Letter Bags.

Bags. Bags and Arrivals. Depart-

Boxes.

Packets.

ures.

Increase,

49

British Postal Agencies other

than through Hongkong

257

71,127 3,053 1,842 6,741 4,959 52,070 3,004 1,713 4,536 4,135

19,057

129 2,205 824

1,082

12,039 10,292

1,747

and Shanghai,

Despatched, 1905,

Despatched, 1904

Increase,

15,772

British Postal Agencies other

than through Hongkong

795

57,838 7,879 1,292 41,566 4,001 1,261

3,378

97

6,739 4,201 46,302 3,841 3,113 44,102

13,705 11,107

31 2,898 1,088 2,200

2,598

and Shanghai,