§ MR. H. S. NORTHCOTEasked the Postmaster General, If it is the case that the manufacture of paper used in the composition of post cards, which has till recently formed an important branch of industry in Devonshire, has now been transferred to Germany; and, if so, what are the reasons for this transfer?
§ MR. FAWCETTThe matter referred to is one that belongs to the Inland Revenue Department, and not to the Post Office; but I have ascertained that the Commissioners of Inland Revenue obtain the post-cards in a complete shape by contract at a certain price, and that it is open to the contractors to get their material where they please. It appears that complaints were made to the contractors as to the quality of the cards, and that in consequence of the inferiority of the article they discontinued getting paper for the thin cards from Devonshire, finding they could obtain more suitable paper from Germany, whence they have always drawn their supplies of thick paper.