§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the order of the day for the third reading of the Postage on Newspapers Bill.
§ Dr. Bowringwished to know whether Spanish newspapers coming through France would reach this country post free?
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequerwas understood to say, that they would not. We could not expect that France should bear the charge of the transit of the papers of other countries to this.
§ Mr. Aglionbybegged to call the attention of the right hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the practice of sending papers through the post with crosses or lines to mark particular passages. That was a very different thing from marking out particular letters so as to make sentences, and thus carry on a correspondence. It was well known that many persons sent newspapers for the purpose of 569 calling the attention of those to whom they were sent to particular passages in them. That was frequently done when newspapers were sent to Members of Parliament, but the papers thus marked were often charged a very high postage. Now, he would suggest that a proviso should be inserted in the Bill to the effect, that any line or cross to mark particular paragraphs should not be included as writing, and thus rendering the paper liable to postage.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequerthought it would be better to leave the matter to the discretion of the Post-office, which he was sure would not charge that as writing, which was a mere mark to call the attention of the party to a particular passage. If the making of such mark were legalised, it would open a door to many frauds on the Post-office.
§ Mr. Wakleyhad received many newspapers so marked, and had never been charged postage for them.
§ Bill read a third time, and passed.