CO129-307 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [10-12] — Page 156

Videobiel

OPI)

FOFFICE OF WORKS)

9420

13 DEC 1901

20004 154

B. 9. X'» Pont Offizae.

A

NOV OL

Shanghai, 30th September, 1901.

I have the honour to transmit the enclosed Confiden­tial letter from the Acting Surveyor of H. B. M's. Office of Works at Shanghai, together with a plan of the recent plot of ground belong­ing to H. M. Government at the back of the Post Office.

If I am not mistaken, I think the ground on which this Post Office is built is H. M's. Government property leased to the Hongkong Govern­ment at the nominal rent of one Mexican cent per year. Apparently the Surveyor is not inclined to let us have the vacant pieces of ground for gardening, and to let it pass into the hands of the public would, in my opinion, be a very foolish act.

The Post Office here, like that at Hongkong, is only a single storied building with three storied houses in our front on the opposite side of the road (Peking Road). Our neighbour on the left is a four-storied building. We are the warmer building at this part of Peking Road. Hunan Road commences at the private door of the Post Office running down from thence to Soochow Creek.

Our opposite neighbour, on the right, is also a single storied house, but old, and probably when pulled down, a higher one will be rebuilt. Thus to have a tall building immediately behind the Office will be completely shut in from light and air, and would be more gloomy than the Hongkong Office. I would most energeti­cally protest against any infringement of our right of light.

But a more serious, and political aspect of the offer would be the passing into the hands of a Foreign Government of the ownership of this land. It is publicly known that the German Post Office at Shanghai will be the Head Office of all their Agencies in China and a high official has been sent out to take charge of the Office. I would not at all be surprised that they are trying to get the ground indirectly through a Chinese man, hence the high figure offered, which ten years ago when advertised for Sale brought in no purchaser. I understand that the present offer is made on condition that no restrictions be placed as to the erection of a tall building.

Owing to the small and inefficient staff in Mr. Wachado's time the German Office prospered and had their own way and was far ahead of the British Office in up to date and modern facili­ties for postal work, combined with a lower tariff of postage. But matters have improved since the augmentation and reorganization of the Staff

Postmaster-General,

Hongkong.