§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)asked the Postmaster General, What is the present position of the tenders for the Australian Mail Contracts?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)Tenders for the Australian Mail Service were received on the 30th of April last, 553 and were at once communicated to the Governments of the three Australian Colonies, which proposed to enter, jointly with Her Majesty's Government, into the contract for this service. At their suggestion, negotiations have recently taken place with the tendering Companies for certain modifications of the original tenders, and copies of their replies have this day been sent to the Colonial Agents General in London for their information. The views of the Representatives of the Colonies on the question of Imperial Postage will be elicited by the discussion of the subject at the coming Colonial Conference in the course of next month; and a statement of those views will, I understand, be transmitted to me. In the meantime, I shall have to consider whether, with due respect to the Colonial Governments, it will be desirable to conclude any arrangement concerning these tenders before the Conference has fully discussed the general question, and until the result of this discussion has been communicated to me.