§ MR. J. HOLMSasked the Postmaster General, What was the amount received for postages to and from India, China, and Australia respectively, during the last year of which the statistics are complete?
§ LORD JOHN MANNERSSir, the gross receipts on account of sea postage, to which I presume the hon. Member refers, on mails to and from India and China respectively, for the year ended the 31st of March, 1876, the last year for which statistics are complete, were as follows:—India, £114,401; China and other places served by Peninsular and Oriental packets, £63,534. These amounts, however, are subject to considerable deductions in respect of the share of sea postage due to India. As regards Australia and New Zealand, the sea postage received on the outward mails viâ Suez for the same year was £30,976, the whole of which was handed over to those Colonies. The amount of sea postage on the homeward mails cannot be stated, as the entire collections are retained by the Colonies.