§ MR. POMFRET (Kent, Ashford)asked the Postmaster General, Upon what principle letters coming from any foreign country within the Postal Union can be re-directed to any place within the United Kingdom, or to another country within the Union, without any additional charge for postage or registration, whilst every letter, post-card, or postal packet, posted within the United Kingdom, is liable to additional charge for ouch re direction— 1284
Unless the original and second address be within the delivery of the same post-office, sub-office, or rural walk; and even in that case they are not exempt from a second postage unless the re-direction be made by an officer of the Post Office.The hon. Gentleman also asked, Whether, as under existing Regulations, the whole of the London District is at present regarded as within the same official delivery for the re-direction of letters, free of charge, whilst in country districts letters, post-cards, and parcels, oven when re-directed by Post Office officials to sub-offices and rural walks from the same post town, are liable to second postage, there is any objection to place residents in country districts, having a common post town (many of whom are now suffering from extreme agricultural and trade depression) in an equal position and under similar Regulations as the more wealthy residents within the Metropolitan area?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)As regards the first of the hon. Member's Questions, I should explain that the exemption from charge on letters between countries of the Postal Union was assented to by this country, not willingly, but entirely in deference to the wishes of the majority of the representatives of the countries belonging to the Union. In reply to the second Question, I should state that the London District has, from the first, been looked upon, for purposes of re-direction, as forming one free delivery; but the question of a charge, even in London, has more than once been considered, with the view of doing away with the exceptional arrangement; and, although there is no present intention of making such a change, the point must be considered as reserved only.