Sessional_Paper_1908 — Page 391

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X.- POSTAL SERVICE.

The total Receipts paid into the Treasury in 1907 by the Postal Department amounted to $586,575 from which sum $140,954 was transferred to other heads of General Revenue under which fees and duties are paid in stamps, which are now sold exclusively by the Post Office, leaving the sum of $445,420 as Revenue of the Postal Service. The total expenditure amounted to $366,452, which being deducted from the Revenue of $445,420 leaves a profit of $78,968.

A direct exchange of Money Orders with Kiaochau came into force on 1st July.

A new Parcel Post arrangement with Japan came into operation on 1st October.

The Postal Convention of Rome which was signed on 26th May, 1906, came into opera- tion on 1st October, 1907; the principal changes introduced being the raising of the unit of weight of letters from oz. to 1 oz. in the case of letters posted in Hongkong and Liu Kung Tau and from oz. (14.17325 grammes) to 20 grammes at the other agencies--and the exchange of International Reply Coupons with the principal countries included in the Postal Union.

The Tientsin Agency availed of the opportunity to send direct mails to Europe overland vid Harbin from 17th October.

XI

-MILITARY FORCES AND EXPENDITURE.

(a.) REGULAR FORCES.

The following returu shows the average number and composition of the Forces employed in the Colony during 1907 :-

EUROPEANS.

CORPS.

Officers.

INDIANS.

CHINESE.

TOTAL.

General Staff (Officers only)

5

5

Garrison Staff (W. O., N. C.

5

5

(fficers only),

Royal Garrison Artillery,

27

633

660

Royal Engineers,

12

259

ვე

326

Army Service Corps,

28

32

Royal Army Medical Corps,

43

51

Army Ordnance Dept. and Corps,

30

36

Army Pay Departinent and Corps,

8

11

H. K. & S. Bn. R. G. A.,

11

7

435

460

3rd Middlesex Regiment,

16

425

119th Infantry,

10

15

5:

441

748

773

129th (D.C.O.) Baluchis,

11

14

734

...

759

Indian Subordinate Medical

4

5

Department,..

TOTAL,

113

1,438

37

1,921

55

3,564

(b.) COLONIAL CONTRIBUTION.

The Colony contributed $1,214,340.05 (being the statutory contribution of 20 per cent. of the Revenue) towards the cost of the maintenance of the Regular Forces in the Colony including Barrack Service and Defence Works.