No.268.
From the Acting Postmaster.
Shanghai.
To the Postmaster General, Hongkong.
194
H.B.M's. Post Office,
Shanghai, 12th September, 1901.
Sir,
In transmitting the enclosed application from Tu King Chung, Marine Stamper, for an increase of pay, I beg most respectfully to state that I have already reported favourably of him in my letter No.221 of the 17th July, when applying for a shroff for the Registration Office. He was formerly in the employ of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co. and has always given me satisfaction in the performance of his duties.
It is difficult to obtain satisfactory men to fill the posts of Marine Stampers. Owing to discharges and the absence of this man on account of the illness of his father, I have tried about half a dozen candidates but they were utter failures. In one instance, when one office boy and two stampers were entered, they bolted after experiencing one day's work in the Post Office, and it unfortunately happened on the day of departure of the English Mail, thereby causing the Marine Officer to proceed to Hongkong without an assistant.
It is not to the credit of this Office that the mails on board cannot be properly sorted and written up for delivery owing to the want of a more intelligent...