HC Deb 04 April 1887 vol 313 cc367-8
MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Under what authority the Treasury acted in allowing free postage to the managers and officials of various South Kensington Exhibitions?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

The postage of Public Departments is necessarily carried at the public expense, and the correspondence of Commissions being considered official, the Treasury has given certain privileges of free postage to Royal Commissions appointed to conduct or assist certain Exhibitions.

MR. BRADLAUGH

My Question has evidently not been made quite clear to the right hon. Gentleman. I wish to know under what authority the Treasury acted in allowing postage for the managers and officials of the Exhibition, not the Commission?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I think the hon. Gentleman is mistaken. The free postage is not allowed to managers and officials for their private business, but to managers and officials of the Royal Commissions in the discharge of their public duty.

MR. BRADLAUGH

I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that all the Exhibitions were not held under or by Royal Commissions. I will repeat my Question in a more precise form. It is as to the Exhibitions held otherwise than under Royal Commissions in Kensington.

MR. W. H. SMITH

Most of those have been conducted under the authority of a Royal Commission.

MR. BRADLAUGH

Yes; but my Question has reference to those not under the authority of a Royal Commission.

MR. W. H. SMITH

I have answered the Question of the hon. Member—["No, no!"]—so far as I know. There is authority in the case of Royal Commissions; and if it has been given in other cases it has been by mistake. My hon. Friend the Secretary to the Treasury refused authority in the case of one or two Exhibitions, because the request was preferred by a Commission, not a Royal Commission.

MR. BRADLAUGH

I shall repeat my Question in more precise terms tomorrow.

MR. LABOUOHERE (Northampton)

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the circulars sent out with respect to the Imperial Institute have been posted gratis?

MR. W. H. SMITH

No Notice has been given of the Question, and I am not able to say. I am, however, informed that there is authority for granting free postage in this case.