CO129-298 - Governor Sir Blake Administrator Major Gen Gascoigne - 1900 [3-4] — Page 195

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13299

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&

Red 30 APR 00

loss

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a mail.

Ihave the homom the

Sir

fan most obedient

Stumble Servant

Henry Atlake

น

Sir

General Post Office

194

Hongkong.

30/3/00.

As desired by you, I have the honour to

put in writing my opinion as to the necessity

of allowing additional help to the Marine Officer

as recommended by Postmaster General Hastings.

Personal observation when en route to

Hongkong showed me how very hard worked the

Marine Officer is & not only that, but the need

of an assistant to deal with the registered

correspondence at once, instead of placing them

on one side to be dealt with after the mail had been

sorted-- this in my opinion would ensure the safety

of the registered bags while the mail was being

sorted.

With respect to the absence of authority

for the employment of a marine stamper I think it clearly must have been understood on this side

at least, that the Marine Officer alone could not

possibly open the bags, date stamp the letters, sort the whole Hongkong mail, make up the bags, of the sorted correspondence & all be done within five days. In the above I dont include what is also a responsible duty viz: The writing of the slips for the Registered correspondence. Frequently

The Viscount Suirdale

Private Secretary.