HC Deb 31 August 1895 vol 36 cc1434-5

On the Resolution, That a sum, not exceeding £5,333,840, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1896, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Post Office Services, the Expenses of Post Office Savings Banks, and Government Annuities and Insurances, and the Collection of the Post Office Revenue,

MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)

moved that its consideration should be deferred until Monday.

MR. PICKERSGILL (BethnalGreen, S. W.)

seconded the Motion.

MR. HANBURY

observed, that the hon. Member had assigned no reason whatever for the Motion, which he hoped would not be pressed.

MR. SPEAKER

It is extremely unusual that such a Motion should be made by anyone except the Minister in charge. It is quite out of the ordinary course.

MR. HENNIKER HEATON

intimated that his only desire was to have an explanation from the right hon. Gentleman, on receiving which he would withdraw the Motion he had made. In the Debate the previous night he stated that no invitation had been given to any of the colonies of the Empire to take part in establishing an Imperial Penny Postage system. He understood his right hon. Friend the Secretary to the Treasury to say that that was not so, and that such an invitation had been sent to the Australian colonies. If his right hon. Friend would admit that he (Mr. Henniker Heaton) was correct in his statement, and would give him an assurance that in his reply to it the right hon. Gentleman did not mean to say that the Colonies had been invited to take part in establishing a scheme of Imperial Penny Postage, then he should be satisfied and should withdraw his opposition to the Resolution.

MR. HANBURY

remarked that he did not use the words which the hon. Gentleman seemed desirous to attribute to him. His statement, as reported in The Times, was absolutely clear. He was stating to the Committee that the postal authorities in the Colonies did not desire to have a scheme of Imperial Penny Postage, whereupon the hon. Member for Canterbury interrupted him, saying they did desire it, but had never been invited. He then replied to that assertion of the hon. Member by saying that was not the fact, for certainly the feeling in the Australian colonies was by no means in favour of the scheme.

MR. HENNIKER HEATON

was quite content to withdraw his Motion if it was clearly understood that no invitation had been sent to the Colonies to establish a penny postage scheme.

Resolution agreed to.

Other Resolutions reported agreed to.