Sir GILBERT PARKERasked whether this Government pays all the cost of carriage of British mails, parcel post, etc., between England and our Eastern and Central African possessions, or whether any contribution is made by these territories; and by what line of steamships this postal service is conducted?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Sydney Buxton)The mails for British East Africa, Uganda, and Zanzibar are generally conveyed to Aden by the P. and O. packets, and thence by British India packet or by German packet. The mails for Nyassaland are conveyed viâ Aden or by the Union Castle Line viâ Cape Town. In the case of the British lines payment is made by the British Post Office, which receives from the Protectorate Post Offices the transit rates on homeward correspondence. In cases where foreign services are used transit rates are paid under Postal Union rules by the Post Office which despatches the mails.