§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps have been taken by the Treasury with reference to the Trade Charges Collection Scheme of the Post Office; and, whether any system of paying the postmen per transaction is proposed?
§ *THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover SquareIn reply I have to inform the hon. Member that, after a full consideration of the scheme, I have been unable to adopt it. The business undertaken by the Post Office is already so extensive, and even its ordinary growth is so difficult to deal with, that it has appeared to me inadvisable to impose upon it new responsibilities not absolutely unavoidable which would involve an increase of charge for staff accommodation, and which ought, I think, to be met, if required, by private enterprise.