CO129-314 - Public Offices - 1902 — Page 197

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In considering these revenues however it must be

remembered that the conduct of these agencies is

largely entrusted to His Majesty's Consular officers,

a practice to which I am strongly opposed as tending

to impeir efficiency in the discharge of their Con-

suler duties. Though the extrs work involved is

at some places comparatively light, yet at others

it entails a severe tax on their time.

lic

Of those under (b)-the convenience of the pub-

I gather from comments in the press and no

small number of complaints that they do not compere

altogether favourably with those afforded by the

agencies of other countries, notably of France and

Germany. In the latter cases the Agencies are Im-

perial Institutions and can consequently rely upon

Imperial funds for their meintenance. It seems to

me inconceiveble thet their revenue cen be sufficient

to cover necessery expenditure. It is hardly to

be expected that the Colony of Hongkong should incur

a large unremunerative expenditure merely for the

purpose of adding to British prestige.

I feel confident that the establishment of

Foreign agencies is often due to a desire to create

a "National Interest" and is largely a question of

prestige and if viewed in the latter light, I should

be loth to see Great Britain behind her neighbours

in the maintenance of hers, but apart from this all

important consideration in the Far East I do not

find much to justify an extension of the system.

The actual advantages would, as far es I cen

see, be three:-

(a) Parcels would be delivered beyond the mail

terminus (Shanghai) without extra stemping and vice

versâ.

(b) British money orders could be purchased

and cashed.

(c) Registration could be effected in a postel

union post office instead of in a non-union post

office.

As Your Lordship is aware, the Imperial Chinese

purpose

Postel