§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Postmaster General, referring to the official statement that the contribution of the British Government to the total cost of the Australian Mail Steamship Service (£170,000) is £95,000 anually, and that while the British Government do not pay a fixed annual subsidy towards the cost of the conveyance of mails to and from the Cape of Good Hope, yet
The Government of this Country gives in lieu thereof a larger proportion of the postage on all mails exchanged between the Mother Country and the Cape Colony;whether the British Post Office and the Postal Authorities at the Cape are in accord as to the proportion to be paid to the English Post Office; what proportion of postage is retained by this Country; and, what proportion the Cape Colony proposes to pay?
§ * MR. RAIKESThe Imperial Post Office and the Postal Authorities of the Cape Colony are not yet in accord as to the proportion of postage to be retained by the English Post Office under the new Mail Contracts; but I have proposed a scheme which I hope will lead to an early and satisfactory solution of the question.