§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1224 The names of the Australasian Colonies that have declined to join the Postal Union; is he aware that French mail steamers convey ten centime or one penny postal cards from France via Australia to New Caledonia; and, whether he will take steps to introduce penny postal cards between England and Australia in the interests of poor emigrants and their friends?
§ The SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. H. H. FOWLER)The Australian Colonies were all represented at the Postal Union Congress which was held at Lisbon last year; and after considering the conditions on which they could be admitted into the Union they all declined to join for the present. It is true, as the hon. Member states, that postcards can be forwarded from France to New Caledonia for a postage of 10 centimes, or 1d. each. Pending admission of the Australian Colonies into the Postal Union, it has not been considered desirable to extend the postcard system from this country to Australia. No such arrangement could take place without the previous concurrence of the Colonies concerned; and, looking at the reduction of postage which would be involved by the introduction of 1d. postcards, it is by no means certain that they would acquiesce in any such arrangement.