§ My tale, however, is not yet fully told. Some important changes in postal, telegraph, and telephone rates are proposed, which are estimated to lead to an increase of revenue of £4,975,000, with, I am happy to say, some ultimate saving in Expenditure in a full year. The subject of postal rates was very carefully considered by the Retrenchment Committee, to whose labours the Government and the country are much indebted. In an interim Report, which is being published, they make certain recommendations which, with a single but very important exception, have been adopted with modifications by the Government. The exception which has not been adopted is the addition of one halfpenny to the penny postal rate for inland letters. The recommendations which, with modifications, have been adopted are as follows:—
§ To abolish halfpenny postage.
§ To reduce the letter weight carried for one penny.
§ To introduce a new and higher scale for parcels post.
§ To charge ninepence for the first twelve words of a telegram.
§ To increase the rate for Press telegrams, in order to make the service self-supporting.
§ To increase the poundage on postal orders up to 2s. 6d. by one halfpenny.
§ To make additional charges for certain telephone services, not including the subscribers' 1d. call.
§ The details of these proposals and their financial effect are set out in a Paper which is being circulated.