§ Resolutions [18th March] reported.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolutions."
§ MR. DIXON-HARTLAND (Middlesex, Uxbridge)I wish to call the attention of the House to an answer I received to-night from the hon. Gentleman the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Henry H. Fowler) with regard to postage to our Colonies. It is a fact that people sending letters from this country to India, Australia, and New Zealand have to pay a double postage, and that people sending letters from those places here also have to pay a double postage to what persons have to pay in other countries of Europe. I am not aware that the Post Office is merely to be considered as a money-making machine. The answer I received to-night from the Financial Secretary to the Treasury was that there was a loss 1448 on the mails going from here to the Colonies; and for that reason, evidently, the Government refused to reduce the rate of postage. Now, I think it is of the utmost importance to this country that we should draw nearer the bonds of union existing between this country and the Colonies; and it, therefore, seems to me desirable that this country should not be placed at a disadvantage as compared with foreign countries in this matter of postage. As a matter of fact, I should like to see a penny postage established in our Colonies all over the world, so as to draw our ties closer. I do not think it should be made a money question, and I certainly think there is reason to complain about our rate of postage being dearer than that of foreign nations. This subject has been brought particularly under my notice of late. I have been abroad, and have found that the system which the Financial Secretary upholds is defeating itself. He says the Colonial Mails do not pay, and I am not surprised at the fact. I can show him one reason why it does not. At the present moment there is in operation a gigantic system, whereby letters are taken from England to the Continent in large packages to be posted abroad, because it can be done for half the price. The question is one well worthy of the attention of the House. We should not allow the system to which I refer to continue longer, but should insist upon having some pledge from the Government to the effect that if they are in Office when the Estimates come on next year this question shall be, at any rate, properly considered.
§ Question put, and agreed to.