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In the reply to this Letter the following
Number should be quoted.
15362
10
C O
225024 541
RECR
TREASURY CHAMBERS
13 August 1910.
23768/1910.
イルジ
223344
Sir,
With further reference to Mr. Cox's letter of the 4th instant on the subject of the British Postal Agencies in China, I am directed by the Lords Commis- sioners of His Majesty's Treasury to request that the
Hong Kong Government may be pressed to reconsider their
refusal to accept the proposals made in the letter
from this Board of the 20th July.
The suggestion that the postage rates (which were originally fixed by the Hong Kong Government) should now be raised is, as the Secretary of State is aware, impracticable.
But My Lords trust that on further considera- tion the Secretary of State will find himself able to modify the view expressed in the letter under reply, that the taxpayers of Hong Kong must be relieved "of all expense in respect of a service which is maintained in Imperial interests and not in thoseof the Colony".
My Lords find it difficult to believe that the Colony, which has extensive relations with the Treaty Ports, derives no benefit from its direct connexion with the Agencies; but apart from this question, it must be admitted that they have been maintained by the Colony for
The Under Secretary of State,
more
Colonial Office.