§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)asked the Postmaster General whether he was aware that making ample allowance for the difference in exchange, the merchant in Austria can post 120 letters for £1 to England, whereas the merchant in England can only post 96 letters to Austria for the same money; and, whether he could state, since these countries are in the Postal Union, when the next Postal Union Conference will be held?
§ * THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES,) University of CambridgeI am quite aware of the fact brought to my notice by the hon. Member. The explanation is that, according to the Postal Union Convention, 25 centimes is fixed as the initial rate of postage; but, as only a few countries use the decimal currency, each State of the Union collects its postage in its own currency, avoiding fractions in calculating the equivalent to 25 centimes. In Austria 10 kreutzer is the equivalent adopted; and in this country 2½d. is the nearest equivalent. I do not see the logical 1787 connection of the hon. Member's second question, and I cannot say when the next Postal Union Congress will be held. No precise date has yet been fixed.