§ Colonel DAYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the two special postage-stamp issues for inland postal rates in the Colony of Ceylon that were ordered in London did not arrive in the Colony in time to be put on sale at the appointed date, and that the authorities were compelled hurriedly to overprint their existing issues with the new required denominations; and if he can state the cost involved in the provisional issue and the reason for the delay in the delivery of the new issue?
§ Mr. AMERYI have no official information in the matter, but I understand that there was no avoidable delay in the supply from this country of the stamps ordered by the Ceylon Government, and that the necessity for overprinting arose from the desire to introduce immediately certain reduced rates of postage. The Governor is being asked to report on the circumstances.