§ MR. TOULMIN (Lancashire, Bury)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if ho is aware that arrangements exist between several of the countries of Europe whereby special postal privileges are secured, amounting in some cases to the difference, for a letter of 8¾ ozs., between 2½d. compared with 3s. 9d. from this country; and will he consider the advisability of entering into negotiations to secure similar advantages for English commercial firms.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)I am aware of the arrangement to which the Question seems particularly to refer—namely that between Germany and Austria-Hungary, under which the domestic rate of postage in each country is applicable to correspondence passing from one to the other. But I am not prepared to make proposals for a general reduction of postage between this and foreign countries to our domestic rates.