196
In considering these revenues however it must be
remembered that the conduct of these agencies is
largely entrusted to His Majesty's Consular officers,
a practice to which I am strongly opposed as tending
to impeir efficiency in the discharge of their Con-
suler duties. Though the extrs work involved is
at some places comparatively light, yet at others
it entails a severe tax on their time.
lic
Of those under (b)-the convenience of the pub-
I gather from comments in the press and no
small number of complaints that they do not compere
altogether favourably with those afforded by the
agencies of other countries, notably of France and
Germany. In the latter cases the Agencies are Im-
perial Institutions and can consequently rely upon
Imperial funds for their meintenance. It seems to
me inconceiveble thet their revenue cen be sufficient
to cover necessery expenditure. It is hardly to
be expected that the Colony of Hongkong should incur
a large unremunerative expenditure merely for the
purpose of adding to British prestige.
I feel confident that the establishment of
Foreign agencies is often due to a desire to create
a "National Interest" and is largely a question of
prestige and if viewed in the latter light, I should
be loth to see Great Britain behind her neighbours
in the maintenance of hers, but apart from this all
important consideration in the Far East I do not
find much to justify an extension of the system.
The actual advantages would, as far es I cen
see, be three:-
(a) Parcels would be delivered beyond the mail
terminus (Shanghai) without extra stemping and vice
versâ.
(b) British money orders could be purchased
and cashed.
(c) Registration could be effected in a postel
union post office instead of in a non-union post
office.
As Your Lordship is aware, the Imperial Chinese
purpose
Postel