§ MR. CHARLES DEVLINI beg to ask the Postmaster-General, in view of the fact that the postal rates on periodicals are less from Canada to Great Britain and Ireland than from Great Britain and Ireland to Canada, and of the representations from the Canadian Government praying for a reduction of these rates, he can extend any hope that a reduction will shortly be made.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)I have given this subject very careful consideration. I appreciate the great importance, politically as well as commercially, of facilitating the circulation of our newspapers and periodicals in Canada, and I should have been very glad if I could have adopted the Canadian rates for such matter; but our present rates for newspapers and periodicals sent from this country to Canada are, except in the case of registered newspapers, the same as those charged for the transmission of printed matter within the United Kingdom. Even with the present limits of weight the½d. post is not remunerative, and, after careful con- 956 sideration of all the circumstances, I regret that I cannot see my way to its extension generally, nor do I think I should be justified in making special arrangements for the transmission of newspapers and periodicals to Canada only, at rates lower than those in force within the United Kingdom. I am, however, considering whether some increase might not be allowed in the weight now carried for a penny both within and without the United Kingdom.