§ MR. TOWNSEND (Warwickshire, Stratford-on-Avon)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he will be in a position to promise shortly to reduce the cost of inland post cards to one halfpenny each, with power to purchase a single card for that sum, as a boon to the poor man; also to use for the purpose thicker cardboard, as the very thin quality now sold at 7d. per dozen renders such postcards a most unsafe means of correspondence?
§ *MR. RAIKESI would refer the hon. Member to the Report of the Select Committee on Revenue Estimates, which sat in 1888, in which he will find it stated that there is a loss on all halfpenny business of the Post Office; and in view of the feeling evinced by that Committee I do not think it would be right or reasonable to increase that loss by adopting the first suggestion of my hon. Friend. The question of the quality of the card is now under consideration.