§ MR. E. PARKES (Birmingham, Central)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, why it is that a custom which has existed for some years of sending addressed envelopes, enclosed in a wrapper with a halfpenny stamp affixed, to business houses in Cape Colony should now be stopped by the Post Office authorities, with the contention that such packages cannot be sent under book post, but must be classified as stationery, thereby causing an extra expense of 10d. to 1s. per package, and so seriously interfering with British trade abroad?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY, Preston)The Postal Union has decided that writing paper, envelopes, and other articles of stationery pure and simple are not transmissible by post at the reduced rate of postage applicable under the regulations of the Union to newspapers, books, etc. It is true that such articles have in the past been forwarded from this country by book post, but attention having been drawn to the subject, the Postmaster General thought it right to direct that they should not be allowed to pass in future, as it would be in contravention of the Convention to allow them to do so. It may perhaps be well to point out that a pound of envelopes or other stationery can be sent to the Cape of Good Hope by parcel post at the moderate charge of 9d.