581
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, develop 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.
13. By the Christmas Mail from Europe we received 527 parcels, and by the New Year's Mail 576. These are the heaviest mails that have yet come under my notice.
14. Money Orders may now be exchanged with France and Algeria through the medium of the Imperial Post Office.
13. The Peak Delivery has proved, as I expected, a great convenience to the public. The number of letters despatched and received is 3,711 and 288 respectively. I must again record my thanks to the Manager of the High Level Tramway Company for allowing our postmen to travel free.
16. Among the many instances of fraudulent enclosures in newspapers &c., the following may be mentioned:
Mrs. ... handkerchiefs.
Mr. ... China posted a newspaper prepaid as a single paper, but containing a dozen silk handkerchiefs.
China addressed a newspaper to a lady, containing six pairs of gloves and three letters.
Those were duly forwarded, letter rate being charged, and I have no doubt the addressees would much rather they had not been sent. Unfortunately the senders could not be discovered.
17. Several Parcels falsely declared were confiscated by the Customs Authorities.
18. The late Compradore CHING Tsüs, after 23 years service, retired on pension. I cannot speak too highly of his services.
19. In conclusion I have to express my thanks to all the Officers employed in this Department for the very efficient manner in which they have performed their duties.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
The Honourable A. LISTER,
Postmaster General,
Your obedient Servant,
ARTHUR K. TRAVERS, Assistant Postmaster General.
APPROXIMATE STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1889.
DESCRIPTION OF CORRESPONDENCE TOTAL Despatched Received Total in 1888 Increase Decrease Ordinary paid Letters 640,000 506,900 133,100 581,200 58,800 Unpaid and short paid Articles 17,200 16,400 800 13,700 3,500 Letters on Postal Business 2,030 Do. with prepaid reply 1,200 835 365 1,050 150 Newspapers and Periodicals 183,950 30,100 153,850 173,000 10,950 Books, Circulars, Prices Current, &c. 190,250 89,500 100,750 178,025 12,225 Patterns 7,675 1,800 5,875 9,775 2,100 Registered Articles 35,300 15,500 19,800 30,400 4,900 Letters with value declared Registered Articles with Return Receipts 100 50 50 50 50 Parcels 6,200 2,100 4,100 5,123 1,077 Post Cards 19,400 6,650 12,750 14,375 5,02512. The number of Parcels received and despatched during the year is as follows:-
Inward Outward By P. & O. Packet 8,203 4,529 By German Packet 174 267 Total 8,377 4,796Total, 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.