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objections would have to be weighed against the cor-
responding advantages to the public service by a
very cheap Post Office Agency under official guaran-
tee at small ports where a separate establishment
would entail a heavy expense on the Post Office
Department.
Mr Robertson, Her Majesty's Consul at Canton,
stated that the appointment of Post Office Agent
there was held by Mr Frater, Consular Assistant and
that the duties of the Agency were simply to despatch
and receive the daily mails, and that they did not
conflict in any way with the efficient discharge of
the Consular duties more properly belonging to the
Officer engaged.
The Acting Vice Consul at Chefoo made it a
complaint that the duties of a Post Office Agency were
imposed upon a Junior Officer without any recompense;
and the Consul at Amoy suggested that no Post Office
Agency should be offered to a Junior Officer except
at the recommendation of the Consul and with his
approval.
On the 5th June 1868 Sir R. Alcock addressed
a