§ MR. JEFFREYS (Hampshire, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that letters sent by soldiers serving with the Imperial troops in the Orange Free State and stamped with 1d. for the ½ oz. have been surcharged 3d. on delivery in England, and whether he can arrange at once that all letters either forwarded to or sent by our 26 soldiers in the Orange Free State or the Transvaal can be forwarded for 1d. the ½ oz., in conformity with the postal regulations of our own South African Colonies.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HANBURY,) PrestonThe only soldiers' letters from the Orange Free State which have been charged in the manner described reached this country in the colonial mail from Cape Town, and bore no indication whatever of their having been sent by soldiers. They were properly treated as what they appeared to be—ordinary letters from the Orange Free State; but in cases in which they were subsequently shown to be from soldiers the charges have been refunded. All letters from the troops in South Africa prepaid at the rate of 1d. per ½ oz. and received in the mails from the Army Post Office are delivered in this country without surcharge; and similarly, all letters for the troops prepaid at that rate are sent forward for delivery free of charge.
§ MR. JEFFREYSIs the converse true? Will letters sent to the Orange Free State via the Transvaal be delivered to the troops for 1d.?
§ MR. HANBURYCertainly, if they are sent prepaid.