HC Deb 25 July 1898 vol 62 cc1161-2
MR. S. YOUNG (Cavan, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he can state in what part of the Parliamentary Regulations, as presented to this House in 1879, the Post Office is authorised to charge the full rate to each newspaper in a multiple address message, even when a separate pass is handed in for each newspaper; whether he is aware that the regulations provide for the full charge being made only in eases where a single pass is handed in and the other addresses are paid for in cash or stamps; and whether he will undertake that the full rate will not henceforth be charged on multiple addresses when a separate pass is handed in for each address, especially in view of the fact that when cash is paid the reduced rate is allowed?

MR. HANBURY

The authority to charge the full rate to each newspaper in a multiple address message when a separate pass is handed in for each newspaper is given by Regulation 19 of the Press Message Regulations of 1879. The honourable Member has not accurately interpreted the regulation referred to in the second paragraph. As regards addresses for which there is no pass, the messages must be paid for at the full rate. The Postmaster General, as at present advised, does not see his way to give the undertaking the honourable Member asks for.