§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in view of the fact that the British postage on a book of the size and weight (11 lbs.) of the "Times Atlas" is, to French Guiana 3s. 11d., to Dutch Guiana 4s. 6d., and to British Guiana 7s. 6d., to Cochin China (French) 4s. 8d., and to Hong Kong (British) 5s. 10d., to the Congo Free State (Belgium) 3s. 5d., to the Gold Coast (British) 8s. 3d., to New Guinea (German) 4s. 10d., and to New Guinea (British) 9s.; that any of the Parcels Shipping Companies will carry a parcel weighing 11 lbs. for about one-fourth, or less, of the postage charged by the British Post Office, he will take steps for a substantial reduction of the postage on parcels to all British Colonies and Dependencies?
§ MR. HANBURYI beg to refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar Question which he asked in the House of Commons on the 13th of May 1895. On the 13th of May last year it was explained that the rates quoted by the hon. Member applied to an 11-lb. parcel sent by parcel post to various places abroad by British, Colonial, or Foreign services, or a combination of such, as the case may be; that the endeavour of Her Majesty's Government in entering some years ago on this service, of which it had no experience, was to fix the rates in accordance with the estimated expenses, with some margin to secure the State against loss; and that as experience had been gained, rates found to be more than duly profitable had been reduced. That process is still going on. The attention of the hon. Member was drawn to one important difference between our system and that of the Postal Union, which is to be found in the fact that we recognise the difference of cost as between light and heavy parcels, while the Union does not, hence, while a comparison of rates to foreign countries and colonies shows an advantage to foreign countries in regard to heavy parcels such as those selected by the hon. Member, it shows a great advantage to colonies on light parcels—a fact which his Question does not mention. As stated in the previous answer, a comparison of parcel post and freight rates would not be apposite, as the latter do not include collection, inland conveyance, customs formalities, or delivery.