CO129-310 - Acting Governor Major Gen Gascoigne - 1902 [1-4] — Page 543

COPY No. 3.

Sir,'

533

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Enclosure No. 1 to Despatch No./57/of the 13th. April 1903-

20751

General Post Office,

Hongkong, 23rd. Januady, 193201W 02)

Lub. enclosure.

Owing to the death of Captain Hastings, the Postmaster-General, this post is rendered vacant, I have the honour therefore to apply for appointment to the vacancy thus created and would most respectfully ask that His Excellency the Governor would be pleased to favourably recommend this my application to the Right Bonour- able the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

I may mention that I am now in charge of the Hongkong Post Office, and as a matter of fact have been acting as Post- master-Jeneral from 15th. January, 1900, to the present time. During the time I acted while Captain Hastings was away in England: on leave, I am thankful to say, I succeeded in obtaining the approval of the Government, as His Excellency Sir Henry Arthur Blake, the Jovernor of the Colony, was pleased to give expression to in the following words, "With respect, to the Post Office, every effort is being made to render that institution worthy of the Colony. It must be evident that here. there are exceptional difficulties to contend against, but it is hoped. that the comparatively few complaints received of late may be an indica- tion that, matters are working more smoothly. The Postmaster-General, Commander Hastings, has just returned from leave, during which time be has devoted himself to inquiry into the working of the department, in England, and he will, I am certain, be ably seconded by Mr. Lewis, who has. discharged the duties of Acting Postmaster-General very satisfactori- ly during the absence of Commander Hastings", at a meeting of the Legis- lative Council on the 28th. September, 1901, when the estimates were introduced. I at the same time, I am happy to say, secured the good opinion of the Hongkong Public and would beg leave to attach a cutting from one of the most prominent Newspapers relative thereto.

# Lafitter, 1901.

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In conclusion I would mention that I entered the Public Service in Saint Vincent in 1930 and was appointed: Postmaster of that Colony in 1995, and was transferred to Hongkong as Assistant Post- master-General in January 1999.

I earnestly hope therefore that my lengthened experience of postal work as well as my service as a whole will be deemed sufficient in warranting this my application for the appointment of Postmaster-General to obtain the most favourable consideration.

The Honourable

The Colonial Secretary.

I have etc..

(sd.) E. Cornewall Lewis,

Assistant Postmaster-General.