§ SIR C. DALRYMPLE (Ipswich)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if he has in contemplation to remedy the great inconvenience to which British traders are put by the charges for transmitting printed matter to the Colonies; and whether he is aware that British firms, in order to obtain the cheap postage prevalent on the Continent to India, Australia, New Zealand, &c, send large packages of price-lists and circulars to an agent abroad, to be posted there?
§ *THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES,) Cambridge UniversityI have been informed that certain firms send their price-lists and circulars to the Continent to be posted; but the transfer of this unremunerative business to foreign post offices is not financially disadvantageous to the British Post Office, though a slight advantage may be gained by the senders of the circulars. I have for some time been considering the question of postage rates as they affect the book post, which have formed part of the subject recently inquired into by a Departmental Committee. But I cannot' at present say whether any reduction can be made in this particular case.