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Administration had been handed over to the Chinese Government by Edict in 1902 and Chinese Officials had been appointed to supervise, watch over, and support its interests. The letter concluded with a request that the removal of the lines might be delayed pending arrangement of the matter.
10.
It is, I believe, the fact that the shares in the Administration or Company are held by private individuals. It is also beyond doubt that the control is in the hands of Chinese Officials. The Director-General is an Official of high rank and the Superintendent in this Colony holds the Official rank of an Expectant Tao Tai or Intendant of Circuit. This gentleman has been questioned by the Registrar-General and he admits that the management of the Administration is vested in the Chinese Government. He claimed the site of the Telegraph Station at Sham-shui-po before the Land Court on behalf of the Imperial Chinese Telegraph Administration and the Land Court has allowed the claim.
11.
The Chinese Telegraph Administration has and has always had an Office in the Queen's Road situated in the same building as the Offices of the Eastern Extension and Great Northern Telegraph Companies and messages can also be sent if despatched from the station at Sham-shui-po, though the station has not hitherto been used for the purpose, the line being employed entirely for traffic between Hongkong and Canton and stations beyond. This traffic is considerable.
12.
I consider that there are strong objections to allowing the Chinese Telegraph Administration to continue