280
therefore mean that this Colony would lose the sum of
$24,528 during 1910, and perhaps larger sums in future
years, in connection with Postal Services rendered to
communities in a Foreign Country. Taxpayers in this Colony
would strenuously oppose such an arrangement which requires
them to provide funds to pay on account of a service from
which neither they nor this Colony reaps any advantage, and
I regret I do not see how it could be justified if the
question is raised in Legislative Council. Besides this
the proposed system would mean that it would not be to the
advantage of this Colony to grant any further facilities
at these Agencies, as the loss would be in direct pro-
-portion to the amount of business done; it would in fact
constitute a premium for the discouragement of any business
whatever.
4.
On the other hand, the saving of
time resulting from the use of the Siberian route is
making it increasingly popular with European residents in
this Colony, though of course it is comparatively little
used by the Chinese Community which forms the bulk of the
taxpayers. As regards Hongkong alone, the Postmaster-
-General estimates that, on the basis of the present
amount of correspondence going by this route, for the next
three