3.
65
Engl. No.3.
Engl. No.3.
to recognise any transfer of the charge of this
office. I attach a copy of this reply. No thing
further happened until the 18th June, when the letter
(copy enclosed) dated the 17th June, addressed to me
by the Director General of Chinese Telegraphs and
Telephones, was presented, through the Chinese members
of the Hong K ̧ng Legislative Council, to the Secretary
for Chinese Affairs, and was by him transmitted to me.
At the same time I received your telegram of the 19th
June, which I have quoted above.
5. I regret that, even after receipt of your
telegram, I am unable to regard the letter of the
Director General of Chinese Telegraphs and Telephones
as regularizing the position. It is clear that the
Chinese National Government still considers the post
of Superintendent of the Chinese Telegraph Office in
Hong Kong as a piece of political spoil and appointments
thereto as a matter solely for its own decision, the
views of the Hong Kong Government being of no
importance. No steps have been taken by the Chinese
National Government to enquire whether Mr. wu would be
acceptable to this Government, and his selection
appears to be based, not on commercial or technical,
but on purely political considerations. Nor is the
need for any change at the present time explained.
It, therefore, appears that the Chinese National
Government refuses to accept the position do often
repeated that the Chinese Telegraph Office in Hong Kong
must be regarded simply as a commercial undertaking
like that of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company,
and mat be staffed accordingly, and that Manking has
deliberately ignored the views of the Hong Kong
Government on this subject.
6. I