CO129-176 - Public Offices & Others - 1876 — Page 102

Our Herbert

I presume the question is primarily one of uniform and convenient postal arrangements and only secondarily

one of finance

The

Chap

community at large is more largely interested in cheap postage and if the mother country is prepared to bear half the cost which under present postal arrangements would be incurred in consequence of any colony's entering the postal Union I do not see why the Colony

should not bear

the other half. At the same time

I do not think it would be unreasonable that the cost should if possible be recovered

by a tax upon the letter writing

section of the community as has been proposed to the Governor of the Leeward Islands.

Copy to 10 Dec 8 day 762

98

In the meantime I infer

we should telegraph to H Governor Maxwell. the Colony would be called upon to bear would be the half of

£6300? No 18/7

It

Yes.

I have decided that

it is expedient to lower the postage

in these cases,

and

in the case of Hong Kong I hardly think it necessary, & propose any

will

Special taxation to meet a

Postal Union charge

of £3150 a year

Telegraph "to Hong Kong

Sent 18 Jun/1573 Joy

Ackgly Telegramd

will be £3150

despatch of mail.

4

This explains sending correspondence

above

Ref #ht pass