39
DOMESTIC.
C.O.
Office or Individual.
4 Commons
1908
23mch.
Last previous Paper.
HONG KONG
No. 10407
(Subject.)
10407
RECO
(REE 24 MAR 08
British postal agencies at treaty ports.
Go.
Mr. Henniker Heaton,-To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government of Hong Kong is saddled with the financial as well as the administrative responsibility of carrying on British postal agencies at the principal treaty ports of China; whether the British Government will in future share these expenses and losses, in view of the fact that Great Britain shares the profits from these services; whether the British community at Tientsin have been required to guarantee 7,500 dollars, the estimated loss on the working of the British postal agency at Tientsin during 1908; and whether the 7,500 dollars is treated as revenue in the Hong Kong Government accounts, the Colonial Government being required to pay upon it the 20 per cent. military contribution, notwithstanding that it represents a loss. [Thursday 26th March..
(Minutes.) For written reply.
Mr. Dundas
70. have asked us this question
Reply - subject to Treasury concurrence:
The Hong Kong Government has for many years carried the British Postal Agencies in China. It receives a grant of £710 per annum from the British Government in respect of them. The British Municipal Council at Tientsin has guaranteed a sum of $7,500 to meet the anticipated deficit on the agency at that port during 1908 and under present arrangements any sum paid would be treated as revenue for the purpose of assessing the 20 per cent. military contribution.