§ MR. HOWELL DAVIES (Bristol, S.)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether, in the postal arrangements recently made with Canada, the reduction in the postage rate applied only to magazines and not to English newspapers; whether he is aware that a large number of persons have been fined for insufficient postage on newspapers sent to Canada 167 through mistaking the terms of the new arrangement; and whether he will at once notify the public that newspapers are not included in the agreement.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONAll newspapers registered for transmission in the United Kingdom at the newspaper rate of postage can be sent to Canada at the Canadian magazine rate. A considerable number of newspapers not registered for transmission in the United Kingdom have been specially registered for transmission to Canada at the new rate of postage. I have reason to think that the principal causes of the charges for insufficient postage on packets prepaid at the reduced rates are the inclusion in them of unregistered periodicals and of articles altogether outside the arrangement. Further, some of these packets have been marked by the senders for transmission by way of New York, to which route the new rate of postage does not apply. The conditions under which magazines, newspapers, etc., enjoy the privilege of the reduced postage are clearly set forth in the official announcement.