The Earl of Lichfieldin moving the second reading of the Post-office Acts Repeal Bill, stated, that this Bill, the Postage Duties Bill, the Franking Bill, the Post-office Management Bill, and the Post-office Offences Bill, had one great object in view—that of consolidating and improving the laws 1463 relating to the Post-office. Not less than 150 acts would be consolidated by the adoption of these measures.
Lord Ellenboroughexpressed an anxious wish that something had been done to expedite the communication between India and England by the route of the Red Sea. At present, the expense of the transmission of letters from England by the way of Egypt to India was so high, and by way of the Cape of Good Hope so moderate, that individuals would, of course, prefer the latter route, which operated as a discouragement to the establishment of a more quick communication by the route of Egypt and the Red Sea. When he was at the India Board, he had endeavoured to make an arrangement for a more speedy communication with India by steam, and at a lower rate of charge; but he did not know whether any steps had since been taken to carry the plan into effect.
§ The Duke of Richmondregretted that the object of these Bills was that merely of consolidation. It appeared that no reduction was proposed in the rates of postage, with the exception of that which had reference to newspapers transmitted through cross-roads in Ireland. In his opinion, the proper principle on which postage should be charged was, to take the direct distance of the towns to which letters might be addressed, and not to charge because a circuitous route was taken. Under the existing system great hardship was inflicted on the lessees of turnpike-roads, because the mail-coaches were allowed to go totally free from tolls through this country. It was now contemplated to despatch the mails by stagecoaches, also free of toll, which would be extremely unjust towards the lessees of turnpike roads, and those who had lent their money on such security. The halfpenny chargeable on newspapers sent to Scotland was, it appeared, to be remitted with respect to Edinburgh. Now, in his opinion, it ought to be removed with reference to the whole of Scotland. He thought that it would be advisable to refer these Bills for consideration to a Select Committee.
The Earl of Lichfieldsaid, that these were really nothing more than consolidation Bills, which left the provisions of the law, in almost all instances, the same as they were at present.
§ Lord Ashburtonthought, that the con- 1464 solidation of those Bills would afford facilities for making future changes. He was favourable to a considerable reduction of the postage charges: and he was of opinion that such a reduction as had been the case in other departments would tend ultimately to increase, instead of diminishing, the revenue.
§ Viscount Duncannonsaid, if these Bills were referred to a Select Committee, and altered there, it would be felt as an interference with the privileges of the House of Commons; and. if the Bills were, in consequence, reconstructed by the other House, it would be very difficult to get them through Parliament at so advanced a period of the Session. It was in the contemplation of the Post-office to charge according to the direct distance from the office, and not, as now, with reference to the actual route.
The Earl of Lichfieldsaid, it appeared from the official returns that, under the system adopted in the Post-office Department, the revenue had been considerably increased. That revenue was now produced by 170,000,000 of letters that were annually circulated in England; and if the reduction of duty for which some individuals called were acceded to, it would require the enormous number of 416,000,000 of letters annually to produce the same amount of revenue. With respect to the plan set forth by Mr. Hill, of all the wild and visionary schemes which he had ever heard or read of, it was the most extraordinary. One part of his plan was, that letters sent through the Post-office should be confined to a primary distribution; and if the expense of the final distribution could not be met in any other way, it was to be defrayed but of a parochial rate. Now, he believed that, at the present moment particularly, very few people would be found to advocate the increase of parochial rates. If the Legislature chose that letters should be conveyed for nothing, they might adopt that course. But they had better consider whether the finances of the country would admit of such a change. They ought also to inquire whether in all countries the conveyance of letters had not constantly been viewed as a fair and legitimate source of revenue. He trusted that, under all the circumstances, the progress of these Bills would not be opposed.
§ Lord Ashburtonwas still of opinion 1465 that the rates of postage ought to be diminished. The noble Earl, like all other Postmasters-General, seemed to look more to the increase of the revenue than to the general convenience of the public.
§ Bills read a second time.