§ Mr. Huntpresented a Petition from certain Newsvenders, complaining that their Privileges were infringed upon by the Post- 305 office Clerks, and praying that the Illegal Traffic in Newspapers by the latter might be stopped.
§ Lord William Lennoxfelt the inconvenience of introducing any discussion upon the presentation of petitions; it was a system he highly deprecated in a general point of view. There were, however, instances in which he thought the House would agree with him that some remarks were necessary: those were, when the petitioners founded their grievances upon false grounds; or when the petition contained any unfounded attack upon the character of any individual. On these grounds he would trespass upon the House for a few moments, not only with a view of putting the House right as to the privilege enjoyed by the Clerks of the Roads, but also to defend his noble brother, the Postmaster General, from the unfounded attack contained in the petition. He did not accuse the hon. member for Preston of participating in the attack, he only blamed him for not having thoroughly investigated the question before he brought it forward. Now, as to the "illegal traffic." The privilege of forwarding newspapers was one enjoyed by the Clerks of the Roads from time immemorial. In the 4th Geo. 3rd, cap. 24, sec. 6, the privilege is granted in the following words:—'Forasmuch as it has been usual for the Clerks in the Offices of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, and also for certain Officers in the Office of his Majesty's Postmaster General, to frank printed Notes and Proceedings in Parliament, and printed Newspapers, to be sent by the Post, be it therefore enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that it shall and may be lawful for such Clerks and Officers as aforesaid, being thereunto licensed by his Majesty's Principal Secretary of State, or his Majesty's Postmaster General respectively, to continue to frank such printed Notes and Proceedings in Parliament, and printed Newspapers, as they have heretofore been accustomed to frank the same.' At that period there was no free trade in newspapers, for none, except the above-mentioned and Members of Parliament, could frank newspapers. In the 9th Geo. 3rd, the Clerks in the Secretary of State's office were deprived of this privilege, and a sum of 1,500l. granted to them as a compensation, which was afterwards raised to 2,500l. The privilege of the Clerks in the Post-office (of which there are now about eighteen interested) 306 was left undisturbed. So much for the illegality. He would now very briefly point out the advantage gained to the revenue, and to the public convenience. The salaries of the Clerks who enjoyed the privilege were very trivial, their advantages being taken into consideration; it was a saving of some thousands to the revenue. With regard to the public convenience, the advantages were great. The publishers of the evening papers were enabled to send their late editions through the Clerks of the Post-office after the box of the public had been closed. It was necessary to close the box for the newspapers at six o'clock; and even a few weeks ago the letters were delayed twenty minutes, owing to the mass of newspapers. The public can put newspapers in until half-past seven by the payment of one halfpenny on each. The Clerks have the privilege until near eight o'clock, when they are put in, ready sorted, and free of charge. It had been stated, that the Clerks of the Roads altered newspaper directions to advance their own sale; such could not be the case, even if they were disposed to act so dishonestly, for the newspapers were sorted in quite a different office. He was aware many mistakes happened with regard to newspapers, and he would point out the reason. In one week last month, nearly 200 newspapers were put into the General Post-office with wrong addresses—many from being put in wet with the covers torn off. The practice in the Post-office is to return all misdirected newspapers to the publishers, and to send all papers fitting them to the covers that are found in the newspaper-box. By such means mistakes happened. These mistakes, caused by the carelessness of the newsvenders, were vented upon the Post-office.
Mr. Humewas not before aware of the fact just named by the noble Lord, and such being the case, he hoped a measure would be introduced to take away a privilege which operated in violation of the interests of the public, and he was sure that the House would not hesitate to grant such compensation to the Clerks of the Roads as would be just. He, therefore, with pleasure, supported the prayer of the petition.
§ Petition laid on the Table.