CO129-301 - Governor Sir Blake - 1900 [9-12] — Page 369

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T

ENCLOSUREA.

CO

39553

SECT

REG' DL. 00

367

Report on working of Shanghai Fost Office.

In C.8.0. 3172/1899, His Excellency re-

quested that when I made the inspection of the accounts at

the Shanghai Post Office I would enquire into and report on

the working of the office. It had been my intention to visit

Shanghai about April but, owing to Mr.Hardcastle being inva-

lided home, I was obliged to postpone my tour of inspection

till September.

2. As complaints had been made by the

Shanghai Chamber of Commerce as regards the inefficiency of

the Shanghai Post Office generally, and in particular that on

Mail days the British Post Officeclosed two hours earlier than

the others, and that the sorting of the inward mails was too

slow, I called on Mr.Scott, the Chairman of the Chamber,on seY-

eral occasions, but was unable to see him as he was unwell. I

then called on Mr.Wright, the Vice-Chairman, and, as far as I

could gather from what he told me, there were no very serious

causes for complaint. I pointed out to him that the times for

closing the contract mails had now been arranged under direct -

ions from home so as to meet the wishes of the Shanghai com-

munity and that arrangements had been made for sorting the

boxholders' mails as far as possible in HongKong ready for de- livery as soon as they reached Shanghai, and also for sorting

the