LORD STANLEYrose to ask the Under Secretary for the Colonies the question of which he had given notice, namely, at what time the proposed reductions in rates of colonial postage would come into operation? He (Lord Stanley) had placed on the notice paper, a short time ago, a resolution on that subject, intending to call the attention of the House to the inequality and burdensome character of these rates. He had subsequently withdrawn that resolution on seeing in the newspapers that the Postmaster General had, in answer to a deputation, expressed his intention of reducing the rates in question to one uniform charge of sixpence. But it had been lately intimated to him that a considerable delay would probably take place before the proposed arrangements could be carried into effect; and he therefore wished to learn from his hon. Friend what interval might be expected to elapse before the proposed change was carried out.
§ MR. FREDERICK PEELsaid, in answer to the question of his noble Friend, he was afraid that some considerable time would elapse before the plan announced by the Postmaster General could be brought into operation. He understood that plan to be this:—That a uniform rate of 6d. 313 per half-ounce should be imposed upon all letters sent to or from the Colonies, and that out of that sum ld. was to be allotted to the Colonies. Now, ld. by no means represented the amount levied in the Colonies on letters sent by sea. He had looked over the Australian Postage Acts, and found that they levied rates varying from 10d. to 3d. per half-ounce on all letters delivered at the port of arrival or despatch; and if a letter was sent to or from the interior of the country there was a further rate levied. The Postmaster General had no power to reduce these rates of postage, and to levy a uniform rate of ld.; formerly, indeed, he had the power, and it used to be the exclusive province of the Postmaster General, in concurrence with the Treasury, to establish posts and fix the rate of postage. In 1849, however, an Act of Parliament was passed, conferring that power upon the Colonial Legislatures, and, he believed, that the great majority of the Colonial Legislatures had exercised the power, for instance, all our North American Colonies, with the exception of Newfoundland, some of the West Indian Islands, as Trinidad, the Cape of Good Hope, and the Mauritius. The Australian colonies possessed the power before the Act passed. He apprehended, therefore, that as a preliminary step, it would he necessary to address a circular to the Governors of the Colonies, inviting them to call the attention of the different Legislatures to the subject, and to obtain their consent to the proposed reduction.
MR. HUMEsaid, he wished to know from the hon. Gentleman whether or not the uniform rate of postage would be applicable to our East Indian possessions?
§ MR. FREDERICK PEELsaid, he could not answer that question.