HC Deb 20 May 1909 vol 5 cc713-4W
Mr. HENNIKER HEATON

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the British postal officials impose a fine or surcharge on all letters from Australia that have the portrait of Queen Victoria on the postage stamps, on the ground that such stamps are not current six years after the demise of the Sovereign; whether he is aware that such action on the part of the British postal officials continues to excite the indignation of the Federal Government of the Commonwealth of Australia; whether any answer has been sent to the protest forwarded by the Postmaster-General of Australia on 7th April last; what clause and Act of Parliament justifies the British postal authorities in surcharging letters because the stamps on them bear the portrait of our late Queen; and whether he is aware that Australian coinage if it bears the portrait of Queen Victoria is a legal tender?

Mr. BUXTON

There is no foundation whatever for the allegations conveyed in the question. No stamps, Australian or other, are regarded as obsolete here, unless they have been declared by the country of issue to be no longer current. Many of the stamps now valid in States of the Commonwealth bear the head of Queen Victoria. I received an inquiry on April 8th from the Post Office of the Commonwealth with regard to a surcharge said to have been raised on a particular letter addressed from Brisbane to a firm in London, on the ground that the stamp was obsolete. Inquiry was made, but the addressee stated that he had destroyed the envelope and could give no particulars. A reply to this effect was despatched on 16th April. The envelope in question must have been marked for surcharge in Australia, as it is not customary to disallow stamps which have been accepted as valid by the office of origin.