152
4. A Steam-Launch has been provided, and by its means the landing and delivery of mails has been accelerated. It has also enabled me to establish a Kowloon delivery which, judging by the growing requirements of that place, appeared to me necessary. At the same time a Harbour delivery was introduced.
5. I am glad to see that at last the necessity for a new Post Office has been recognised, but I would venture to suggest that a more suitable site than North Barracks be selected. It appears to me that the Post Office should be somewhere in the vicinity of Pedder's Wharf, which is not only central, but the most convenient spot so far as the general public are concerned. In my last report I remarked very strongly on the question of accommodation, and now that a new building has been, I hope, decided upon, I would urge that the work be put in hand with as little delay as possible. Rough plans of the rooms more essentially necessary, showing their best arrangement and grouping, have been prepared in this Department.
6. In May last the French Government consented to our request to allow Marine Officers to travel on the Messageries Maritimes Packets with a view of sorting the French Mails, and all arrangements to carry out this Service were completed in June, but a difficulty then arose from the fact that the Agents des Postes were without authority to hand the mail over to our Officers before arrival in Hong- kong. The matter was again referred to the French Post Office, but up to the present time no reply has been received, though a settlement of the question in the direction desired may be expected very shortly. The Colony is much indebted to the Vicomte de BEZAURE, French Consul, for the warm interest he has taken in this Scheme and for his constant efforts to bring it to a successful issue.
7. In March last the Postmaster General (Hon. ALFRED LISTER) during his absence on leave worked out the details of a scheme for Local Delivery, and recommended that a certain sum be placed on the Estimates of this year to defray the expenses in connection with it. This was done, and if it is approved by the home Authorities* a long felt want will be supplied. By Local Delivery must be understood the distribution, not only of correspondence originating in the Colony, but also of that which is constantly arriving by Local Steamers from China, Japan, Manila, the Straits, &c.
The Colony will receive the following advantages :-
(a) In the town, regular deliveries of Local Correspondence quite independent of either the arrival or departure of Contract Mails. These deliveries will take place every hour from 8.30 A.M. to 8 P.M.
(b) In the Suburbs there will be three deliveries each day.
(c) All local correspondence will be delivered exactly as addressed.
8. It was suggested to me during the year by several members of this Community that it would be a great convenience to the public if something could be done to notify as early as possible the arrival of steamers, so that mails could be sent for at once. I accordingly placed a notice board in a conspicuous place outside the Office for this purpose, and endeavoured to obtain the earliest notice of the arrival of steamers. This system, however, does not work at all satisfactorily. The launch men of this Department, engaged in other duties, frequently fail to report arrivals, and the consequence is that the mails are kept on board until it is convenient for the Agent or Captain to land them, which is very often hours after arrival. The only way really to meet the difficulty would be by efficient electric communication with Officers stationed at the Eastern and Western entrances to the Harbour.
9. In my Report for 1888 I recommended that the Salaries of our Postal Agents should be raised to such sums in dollars as will fairly represent the amount of £100 per annum, the original pay of the larger Agencies, or £50 in the case of the smaller Offices. I am glad to see that His Excellency the Governor has, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, decided upon this increase.
10. Nothing further has been done, so far as I know, with regard to handing over our Agencies in China to the Customs, and it seems only too probable that they will continue in the hands of the Assistants at the Consulates for some time to come. This is much to be regretted, as it perpetuates a crippled and make-shift service which can never, by any diligence or care on the part of the Officers employed, develope into a properly organised Postal System. I am bound to say, however, that, bad as the existing organisation is (and I hope this year will see it a little better) the Agents at the ports have done the best work possible under existing circumstances.
11. Arrangements were made in May last for the exchange of parcels between this Colony and Cochin-China, Camboge, Tongking and Annam.
12. The number of Parcels received and despatched during the year is as follows :—
By P. & O. Packet,
By German Packet,
Total,
Inward. 8,203
Outward. 4,529
Total. 12,732
174
267
441
8,377
4,796
13,173
The total number despatched and received in 1888 was 10,593. There is therefore an increase of
2,580.
*
Approval has now been received, 11.3.90.