§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)asked the Postmaster General, When was the present arrangement made whereby a payment of l½d. per letter is made to France and Italy for transit rates for every letter from England to India and the East; under what conditions does the contract exist, and when can it be terminated; what steps are being taken to obtain more satisfactory conditions and terms; and, does Germany pay any sum to Franco or Italy for transit rates?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)The arrangement referred to was made in 1879 by correspondence between the British Post Office and the Post Offices of France and Italy, and can be terminated at any time. Three years ago steps were taken to obtain more favourable terms; but the result was not satisfactory, and it is intended to make further efforts in this direction as soon as the new service for the Australian Mails is settled. Until it is certain that those mails will use the same accelerated train service as the Indian Mails, negotiations with the French and Italian Post Offices cannot be opened advantageously. On the last point raised by the hon. Member I have no official information. But I understand that the German Mails for India and the East do not pass through the French territory at all, but join the Indian Mail Train at Bologna. In that case, they would incur only the Italian transit charge, amounting to a fraction ovor½d. a letter.