ENG-1960 — Page 292

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COMMUNICATIONS

The Printergram service, which is the teleprinter service for acceptance and delivery of telegrams, continued to expand. The number of teleprinter subscribers rose to nearly a hundred in 1960. An automatic system has been installed, and the handling of telegrams is now very much quicker. The Deskfax facsimile service is used mainly by local hotels but is also maintained for the accep- tance of telegrams.

Telephones. Internal telephone service is provided by the Hong Kong Telephone Company Limited, a public company operating under a franchise from the Hong Kong Government. The system is fully automatic and service is provided from seven major ex- changes and a number of satellite exchanges. A further major exchange will be brought into service during 1961 and a replace- ment exchange for the existing Waterloo Road Exchange is now being considered.

The Company's system has some 110,000 stations and is con- tinually expanding to meet the popular demand for a telephone service. Rentals are charged at a 'flat rate' of $300 a year for a business line and $225 for a residential line; these rates have not been increased since 1955 despite the increasing costs of main-

tenance.

ROYAL OBSERVATORY

In 1882, when the Secretary of State for the Colonies approved the establishment of the Observatory, the programme of operations comprised meteorological observations, a time service and magnetic observations. Today the work of the Royal Observatory covers a far wider field, although magnetic observations ended in 1939.

Meteorological Services. Routine surface observations of the meteorological elements are made at the Royal Observatory, the airport, and Waglan and Cheung Chau Islands; the last three stations being primarily concerned with the needs of aviation. Upper air soundings of wind, temperature and humidity are carried out from King's Park and numerous raingauges are operated by government employees and private individuals on the Observa- tory's behalf.

The Central Forecast Office at the Observatory provides weather forecasts for the general public, shipping and the Armed Forces and gives information to the Aviation Forecast Office at the airport.

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