§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)asked the Postmaster General whether the practice of sending from England newspapers for India and China to be posted in France is legal; and on what figures the calculation that the Revenue does not suffer from the practice is based?
§ MR. RAIKESAs the Post Office has no monopoly in the conveyance of newspapers, the practice alluded to by the hon. Member is perfectly legal. To show the hon. Member how it is that the British Revenue does not suffer by the practice, I may state that, for a 4-oz. newspaper posted here for India, the postage prepaid by the sender is 1½d., out of which ½d. goes to France and Italy for the special transit across those countries, and ½d. is credited to India towards the cost of the Inland Service there, so that only ½d. remains towards the expense of collection, sorting, stamping, and conveyance to Dover, not to mention the sea conveyance from Brindisi to Bombay. If the same newspaper were posted in France, it would cost us absolutely nothing, while we should receive from France for the sea conveyance ¾d.