§ 1. Air-Commodore Harveyasked the Assistant Postmaster-General when a schedule of air mail services from this country will be advertised by post offices.
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Mr. Burke)Particulars of the air mail services to countries abroad are advertised in the Air Mail Leaflet, of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyWill the Assistant Postmaster-General consider advertising in the windows of the post offices as was done before the war, and will he bear in mind that to do so will be of great assistance to traders with other countries?
§ Air-Commodore HarveyWill the hon. Gentleman put it in the windows?
§ 7. Mr. Price-Whiteasked the Assistant Postmaster-General the rates of postage for air-mail letters and letter-cards from this country to Services personnel at present undergoing training in Southern Rhodesia; and what are the equivalent rates in the case of Services personnel mail to this country from Southern Rhodesia.
§ Mr. BurkeUnder wartime arrangements which are still in force, all letters up to one ounce in weight posted in this country for the Forces in Southern Rhodesia are forwarded by air at the ordinary surface postage of 1½d.; heavier letters are forwarded by air, if specially prepaid for air transmission at the rate of 6d. for the first 1½ ounces and 6d. for each succeeding half ounce. The postal service from the Forces in Southern Rhodesia is provided by the Southern Rhodesian Administration whose present charges for air conveyance to the United Kingdom are, I understand, 6d. for lightweight air letters and 1s. 3d. per half ounce for other letters.
§ Mr. Price-WhiteIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there is considerable dissatisfaction among Service personnel in 1211 Southern Rhodesia because they have to pay approximately three times the postage for letters sent from there to this country as is charged for those which are sent in the opposite direction, and will he undertake a reciprocal arrangement whereby the rates are equalised?
§ Mr. BurkeWe are carrying on what was a wartime concession for letters sent from this country. The Southern Rhodesian authorities very generously made a similar concession during the war but they had the right to decide when it should be withdrawn and they have exercised that right.