CO129-315 - Public Offices & Others - 1902 — Page 39

Address reply to-"The Secretary, General Post Office," quoting Registered No. 118959

Prousing.

Sir,

0222

REC 13 JAR 02.

GENERAL POST OFFICE, LONDON.

38

12 March 1902.

I am directed by the Postmaster General to acknowledge

the receipt of your letters of the 10th instant and to-day's

MO

Sov

date, No. 9525 and No. 9893, from which it appears (1) that,

on receipt of my letter of the 7th instant, No. 118959, a telegram was despatched by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to

-

issued

the Hong Kong Government directing that its Order without his authority for the extension of the penny

letter postage scheme to British Post Offices in China must be rescinded at once, and (2) that the Hong Kong Government, in reply, has asked to be allowed to continue the present

arrangement until the receipt in London of its full report

by post.

In reply to Mr. Chamberlain's enquiry whether the

Postmaster General sees any insuperable objection to this

concession, I am to state that a technical difficulty arises

in respect of letters received here from Hong Kong paid at

the penny rate, which in strictness should be charged der Secretary of State,

double

COLONIAL OFFICE.