§ SIR MANCHERJEE BHOWNAGGREEI beg to ask the Postmaster-General what is the amount of the subsidy paid by Australia for the carriage of mails under the new contract; whether it has resulted in a curtailment of the postal service carried on previously, and, if so, for what reasons; and if the service is now carried on upon a reduced scale, is he prepared, in view of the prejudicial effect it must have on the volume of correspondence between Great Britian and Australia, both for commercial purposes and for the object of promoting the unity of the Empire, to take any, and, if any, what action in the matter.
§ THE POSTMASTER - GENERAL (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, West-houghton)The Australian Commonwealth makes no contribution to the subsidy payable to the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company under the new contract which recently came into operation, providing, inter alia, for one of the two fortnightly mail services to and from Australia of which the other was formerly carried by the Orient Steam 1480 Navigation Company. Up to the end of last month the Australian Government; contributed its quota towards each of the two subsidies. But the Commonwealth Legislature decided not to support, under any fresh contract, any under-taking which admitted of the employment; of coloured labour on board the packets; and the Imperial Government has therefore provided its share of the Australian mail service in the shape of one fortnightly service to be paid for out of Imperial funds, leaving the Commonwealth Government to arrange for another alternating service, making its own terms with the contractors. His Majesty's Government has done all that I can rightly be demanded of it, and I do not think that any further representations would be of assistance to the colonial authorities at present, especially as I have no reason to suppose that they have abandoned the endeavour to obtain a fortnightly service. In the weeks in which no British Mail Packet starts for Australia, mails will be sent from this country by such other advantageous opportunities as offer, and due notice of them will be given to the public.
MR. CATHCART WASONWas it part of the bargain that the Australian Commonwealth should pay the whole cost of one fortnightly service and that we should pay for the other?
§ LORD STANLEYWe were to contribute one-half of the cost, and we did so by sending a mail every fortnight.
§ LORD STANLEYNo.