August 20, 1808.]
Haiphong, Kobe, and Newchwang had to be prepared.
I am satisfied from frequent personal in- spection of the work during the day in question that in the circumstances the papers were delivered as expeditiously as possible.
The circumstances are nearly the same as those in the case reported upon in C.S.(with the addition that the amount of correspondence dealt with in the current has increased by at least 30 per cent.
I need hardly remind you that it has long been settled that the Post Office is sadly in need of adequate accommodation, and I think that in the circumstances the staff did their work well, or at least as well as they could on a day when probably there was more work to be got through than on any other day in the existence of the colony.
Measures for increasing the accommodation will have to be taken ere long in view of the fact that according to the latest scheme a com- plete new Post Office cannot be expected for at least four years.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
The registered letter referred to by Mr. Dalrymple in the Daily Press of the 8th (7th ?) instant was handed out to the postman at 2 p.m., but as he had a large number of ordinary letters as well as registered letters to deliver and had the whole lot to sort and arrange previous to going out on his rounds it was a few minutes past 4 p.m. before he reached Mr. Dalrymple's office, only to find the office closed.
The letter was taken out at 8 a.m. the follow- ing morning but again found the office closed; af 10 a.m. the postmau bad the newspapers by the previous day's mail to deliver as well as his letters and on that account it was nearly 11.30 a.m. before he reached Mr. Dalrymple's office.- I remain, etc.,
A. BARRON, Supt. Registration Branch. To the Hon. A. M. Thomson, Postmaster
General.
THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EXHIBITION,
Coolgardie, Western Australia,
June 18th, 1898.
To the President, Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong.
169
THE PARIS EXHIBITION,
Colonial Secretary Office,
Hongkong, 9th August, 1898. Sir,-With reference to Mr. Lockhart's letter No. 1756 of the 11th November, 1896 and to your reply thereto of the 24th idem, I am directed to state that this Government has been again approached on the subject of this colony being represented at the Paris Exhibition in 1900.
You will doubtless recollect that the adver- tisements published in the local newspapers in December, 1896, requesting intending exbibi
tors to communicate with this office met with no response.
It is intended to advertise again in the local press in the same sense, and 1 am to enquire whether the Chamber of Commerce is in a posi- tion to take an active part in inducing exhibi- tors to come forward.
The space to be allotted to the Crown colonies is 5,500 square feet in the colonial building and 3,600 square feet in the main building, and the cost of erecting those buildings is estimated respectively at 10s. and 5s. per square foot, on which rates the charges made to the several Dear Sir, I am directed by the Commissioners colonies taking part in the exhibition will pro- of the Western Australian International Min-bably be based exclusive of charges on account of freight, insurance, show-cases, remunera- tion of officers or agents, installation, and attendance.
I trust that the above explanation will be deemed by His Excellency to be sufficient; if not, might I venture to suggest a personal ins- pection from time to time to satisfy the Govern ment that my contention regarding accommoda-ing and Industrial Exhibition to notify to you tion is correct.
A. M. THOMSON, P.MIG.
11th July, 1898. Addendum:- Enclosure to Chamber of Commerce letter. 1.-Report by Superintendent of Registration Branch attached showing work done.
The postmen might have been delayed rather later than usual in the General Branch on ac- count of the reasons set forth in report and as they had a good deal to take out it would be some time before they accomplished their rounds.
2.-Dealt with abore. 3.-Only one instance has come to my notice, dealt with in Superintendent's report.
4-No cases were brought to my notice. Mail was ready with the French mail. It is im- possible for me to do anything in re such complaints (3) and (4) unless Articles 44-46 of the Postal Guide are complied with. The public generally give no assistance to this department; the writing of abstract complaints often couched in offensive terms is of no help.
In conclusion, I quite agree with the Chamber in (2) of their letter, but the first thing to do is to get a place to put the staff in.
The only places that occur to me are the rooms generally occupied by the Attorney, General and Crown Solicitor, or the ground floor of the Club opposite.
The tter would be more convenient in many ways.
I must again urge upon Government that the day in question was oue of maximum pres sure such as occurs only once in a year or two, and if the staff is to be sufficient for such extraordinary occasions it would mean very easy work the majority of the days of the year.
At the same time I must say that the clerks in the Post Office are at present the most hard-worked of any in Government Depart-
ments.
12th July, 1898.
A. M: THOMSON, P.M.G.
Registration Branch,
General Post Office. Hongkong, 12th July, 1898. SirThe mails leaving on the morning of the 5th instant were as follows :-
Swatow Amoy Foochow
Singapore
Penang
Calcutta
American Mail
9.30 a.m.
10 a.m.
12 noon. The registered bags ex 8.8. Melbourne were delivered on this office between 7 a.m, and 8 a.m. and the Hongkong registered letters were handed out to the postman at 2 p.m. I consider that this delay in dealing with the mail was due not only to the amount of mails leaving but to the fact that I had three new clerks, two of whom
(1) That it has been decided to hold an Exhibition in Coolgardie, the principal City of the Goldfields of Western Australia, in March, 1899.
(2) That the Government of Western Ans- tralia has been pleased to recognise the under- taking, and that it has substantially supported it by granting to the Commissioners 15 acres of land in a central position as well as subsidis- ing it by a liberal rote of money.
(3) In addition to the Government subsidy, the Town Council has subscribed liberally in order to assist in the erection of the permanent main building which will remain as a School of Mines and Museum.
(4) Besides the main building well devised and roomy annexes of wood and iron are being
erected to receive the exhibits.
(5) The whole of the buildings have been declared a Government bonded warehouse wherein exbibits will be received free from Customs duty. The Government have also granted free trainage from the port of Fremantle in to the annexes by means of a railway siding erected for that special purpose.
|
I shall be glad to receive a reply to this letter at the earliest date possible.-I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
T. SERCOMBE SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary. The Secretary, Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 10th August, 1898. Sir, I beg leave to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 9th inst. announcing that the Government has again been approached on the subject of this colony being represented at the Paris Exhibition of 1.900, and inquiring whe ther this Chamber is in a position to take an active part in inducing exhibitors to come forward.
In reply, I am instructed to say that while the Committee would be glad to see the colony represented at the Paris Exhibition, they are not prepared to take active steps to induce exhibitors to come forward. They propose, however, publishing your despatch for the information of intending exhibitors and others to whom the information it contains may be, useful.-I bave the honour to be, sir, your most
R. CHATTERTON WILCOX, Secretary. Hou. T. Sercombe Smith, Acting Colonial
Secretary,
(6) By same mail I am directed to forward to you schedules, plans, and other documents, relating to this Exhibition. The Commis- sioners hope that you will cause these obedient servant, to be laid officially before your Chamber of Commerce, or any other public bodies, likely to further the interest of the W. A. Exhibition, by inducing exhibitors to come, or to send specimens of the products of your country.
(7) In order to give greater effect to the above the Commissioners pray that a special commission may be appoiùted, as it is usually done, for such exhibitions.
There is no doubt that the exhibition to be held in Coolgardie in 1899 will offer an excellent opportunity to open a profitable market for both products and manufactures.-I have the honour to be, your obedient servant,
G. WILLIAMS,
Secretary.
Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong, 10th August, 1898. Sir, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 18th June, announcing that it has been decided to hold an exhibition in Cool- gardie in March, 1889, and giving particulars of the buildings and the arrangements being made with regard to reception of exhibits, &c.
On behalf of the Committee, I beg to thank you for the compliment paid to this Chamber in requesting the appointment of a Commission to your Exhibition, but the great interven: ing distance and the absence of residents with leisure to give to such an object preclude ac- ceptance of such an invitation. The plans and in the Chamber Rooms for public inspection.-- schedules shall, on arrival, be placed on exhibit I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,
R. M. GRAY, Chairman.
INLAND NAVIGATION,
THE AMENDED RULES.
Hongkong, 16th August. We understand that the amended rules for inland navigation came into force yesterday and that British steamers plying on the West River have been notified that they are at liberty to proceed by any channel they like and to stop at any port en route.
THE UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL MISSION TO CHINA.
MR. GREEN IN HONGKONG,
Yesterday we had the pleasure of an inter- view with Mr. Cassins A. Green, one of the United States Commission to China under the direction of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum, of which institution Mr. Green is the Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Information. The other members of the Commission are Dr. Gustave Niederlein, Chief of the Scientific Department of the Philadelphia Museums, and Mr. Sheridan P. Read, recently Consul
of the United States at Tientsin.
Dr.
Neiderlein and Mr. Read intend to make
tours in the interior of China, which will occupy several months, while Mr. Green, hav- ing studied the conditions of trade at Shang- hai and Hongkong, the two principal gateways of trade into China, intends to go to Singa-
had only been in this office a little over two To G. Williams, Esq., Secretary, International pore and thence to Java and Australia. The Exhibition, Coolgardie, Western Australia. Philippines are not included in the present
weeks, and the other a little over two months.