CO129-269 - Governor Sir Robinson & Public Offices - 1895 [12] — Page 357

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showing that the Post Office Agency, as hitherto

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conducted, did not materially interfere with the die-

charge of the proper duties of the officer, while

in other respects the Agency beingin the Consulate

was often attended with public advantage.

Mr Meadows, Her Majesty's Consul at Newchwang

however, objected to any Post Office Agency being

established there, basing the objection on his past

experience of the serious inconvenience suffered at

Shanghai, on the disadvantage of a Consul being

subject to too many masters each being independent

of the other, giving orders of a conflicting nature

or incompatible with the due performance of duties

for which as Consular Officers they are primarily

responsible to their own Department: also on the

broad principle that if the Junior Officers have any

spare time they should employ it in studying the

Chinese language and institutions and English law,

so as to fit themselves for their own proper work

in the Consular Service.

Sir R. Alcock pointed out that there was a sub-

stantial foundation for such remarks, and that the

objections