§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary to 679 the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, will he explain why it is that the Customs Duty payable in the country of destination of a parcel sent abroad from the United Kingdom cannot be prepaid, but is collected from the addressee on delivery; and, whether he will direct that the sender of a parcel from this country to any place abroad shall be permitted to prepay in postage stamps the duty chargeable on such parcel in the country of destination?
* THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBUBY,) PrestonCustoms Duties are as a rule paid by the importer of dutiable goods, so that the addressee of a parcel sent abroad by Parcel Post is under no exceptional disability as distinguished from a recipient by ordinary agency in having to pay duty on the contents when he receives them. Believing however that in some cases it would be a convenience for the sender of a parcel if he could arrange for its delivery to the addressee free of all charges, the Postmaster General has for some time been considering whether such an arrangement would be practicable in connection with the Parcel Post. No decision has yet been arrived at. The difficulty is one which arises rather in connection with the transmission of presents and parcels of that description than with ordinary commercial consignments.