CO129-374 - Public Offices & Others - 1910 — Page 102

4.

98

131401

31977/09

140437/09

by the other countries concerned.

for these reasons the Postmaster General has come to the conclusion that any further appeal to the commmities ie inexpedient, since it would probably be futile and, even if it were not, any muccean resulting would be far out- weighed by the disadvantages of making it.

4.

If their Lordships accept the conclusion, that the British commmities at the places where the agenoios are established cannot be made to bear any part of the loss arising from their maintenance, the next plan to be considered is to do away with this loss either by abolishing the agonales or, as suggested by the Colonial Office, in their letters of 22nd and 20th of September last, by increasing the rate of postaro.

Both those alternatives wore set aside "hon the mattor was last under revier and the arguments against them havo

I m to rofer since been rather strengthened thangreakened, Their Lordships to the letter dated the 18th of November last from His Majesty's Miniator at Peking which accompanied the

ith regard Colonial Office letter of the 5th of Jenuery. more especially to the rate of postage this can hardly be rained at one or two of the British Agencies without raising it at all, and there ang manifest objections to raising it at the British Aganales unless it be also raised at the Agencies maintained by other camtries.

ven assuming mich

a course to he expedient the Postmaster Gonoral is hardly in

a position to make such a proposal to other Administrations.

It has indeed boan recently ascertained verbally from

H. Millerand and florr Kraetke,

Ministers of Posts for

France