As I informed the honourable member for Stretford on the 12th of March, the question of the maintenance of these Agencies is, however, under consideration.
I have asked the Treasury for concurrence.
The Hong Kong Government has for many years carried on the British postal agencies in China. It receives a grant of £810 p.a., out of which £100 represents an allowance to the Colonial Postmaster General for increased responsibility.
The British Municipal Council at Tientsin have guaranteed a sum of $7,500 to meet the anticipated deficit on the agency of that port during 1908, and under present arrangements any sum so paid would be treated as revenue for the purpose of assessing the Hong Kong military contribution.
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