HC Deb 14 February 1888 vol 322 cc376-7
MR. J. M. MACLEAN (Oldham)

asked the Postmaster General, Whether, as the Post Office saves £107,000 a-year on the new East India and China Mail Contract, he proposes to make any reduction in the postage on letters to India and China?

THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)

I may inform the hon. Member that the saving to which he refers is simply a reduction of the loss on the India and China Mail Services. The present postage rates will still leave a considerable deficiency between the expenditure and the receipts under this head, which will have to be made good out of the general Revenues of this country, of India, and the Eastern Colonies; and I am not now prepared, therefore, to pro- pose any reduction of the postage rates to India and China.

MR. J. M. MACLEAN

Has the money been applied to the reduction of postal rates to Australia?

MR. RAIKES

No decision has been arrived at with reference to the postal rates to Australia.