§ MR. HUTTON (Manchester, N.)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether he has received information that the Colonial authorities of the Crown possessions in West Africa have reduced the charge for postage of letters addressed to Great Britain and Europe from four pence to two pence halfpenny per half-ounce; and, whether he will consider the expediency of giving further effect to this advantageous policy of the Colonial authorities, and of making the postage from Great Britain to these Crown possessions in West Africa the same as is charged by the Colonial officials there and by every Country in Europe except Great Britain?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HENRY H. FOWLER) (Wolverhampton, E.)No information, such as the hon. Member refers to, has been received.
§ MR. HUTTON (Manchester, N.)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government will consider the justice of discontinuing the charge of 6d. per half-ounce for postage on letters to the possessions in the Gulf of Guinea, which for over a year have formed part of the dominions of Great Britain, whereas for several years past the postage from this Country to the adjacent possessions of Great Britain in West Africa has been 4d. per half-ounce?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HENRY H. FOWLER) (Wolverhampton, E.)The postage of a letter to any of the Possessions of Great Britain in the Gulf of Guinea is already 4d., not 6d., as the hon. Member supposes. The Postmaster General is at a loss to understand to what part of the Dominions 1131 of Great Britain the hon. Member refers as being in a less advantageous position in respect to postage rates.